21. 11. 2017 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR
The future is digital and it is of great importance for the public institutions, governments, ministries, embassies to get on board and embrace the potentials of the new technologies. Unlike the traditional diplomacy, digital diplomacy allows anyone, everyone, anywhere, anytime to have a voice. Individuals are no longer just passive receivers of information, they can respond, influence and contribute. This is the way to engage the public in the broadest sense into the decision-making processes, but also to engage into a multi-channel communication flow.
In order to build the knowledge base in the field of digital diplomacy in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, Centre for European Perspective is working together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the United States Department of State. New development cooperation project »Enhancing Digital Diplomacy Activities in the Western Balkan and Eastern European Countries” is kicking-off next week, addressing and bringing together the public institutions PR and digital services.
An advanced public relations training, focused on digital diplomacy, taking place in Bled, Slovenia, from 28 to 30 November 2017, will offer in-depth knowledge about the importance of the digital presence, European digital media landscape, audience identification, story-telling, ecosystem and strategy creation, digital campaigns, visual contents and digital media (such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube).
Over 70 participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine and Slovenia will get a chance to work with the digital engagement experts from the U.S. Department of State, academic or private sector as well as experts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia. The programme aims to strengthen the capacities of the public institutions to plan, coordinate and prepare digital campaigns through various digital communication tools.
The project is part of the CEP program activities financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the scope of international development cooperation, this time in cooperation with the US Department of State.
Read this news in Slovene language here.
13. 10. 2017 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR
Centre for European Perspective is joining forces with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the United States Embassy in Slovenia in order to implement a new development project »Enhancing Digital Diplomacy Activities in the Western Balkan and Eastern European Countries” that will address public relations services of the ministries of foreign affairs from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine.
The project encompasses a digital diplomacy training course, advanced public relations training and further activities of the alumni network, supported by high-quality supporting materials. Bringing together digital engagement experts from the Department of State, academic or private sector as well as experts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, the programme will strengthen the capacities of the selected countries to plan, coordinate and prepare digital campaigns through various digital communication tools.
On digital diplomacy
Just like about five centuries ago printing press brought a vast rise in literacy, today’s digital information technologies are changing the way of collecting and transmitting data. We live in a time where hasty revolutionary innovations, rapid technological changes, ubiquitous connectivity, the availability to process the large amounts of data, algorithmic management and digital literacy, are becoming an inevitable reality.
Global mass communications and advances in new information and telecommunication technologies are presenting a new challenge to the traditional way of conducting international relations. Increased availability, accessibility and speed of the transmission of large quantities of information to the global audience in real time is causing more and more complex management of state affairs. The environment of diplomacy is importantly changing. As digital diplomacy information technologies influence the interconnection of international actors, they enable the possibility of bypassing traditional authorities in accessing the information and consequently impact the speed of decision-making processes. While the mode of conducting diplomacy is changing, it is forced to communicate with many new actors in the international stage through new means of communication. Confronted with a time pressure it still has to remain credible, responsive and transparent.
New challenges for the traditional institutions
Unlike traditional diplomacy, digital diplomacy allows anyone, everyone, anywhere, anytime to have a voice. Individuals are no longer just passive receivers of information, but can correspond directly and horizontally. They actively respond, comment, influence, and form public opinion. Since one-way communication no longer exists, their support is crucial in gaining support for the successful shaping and implementation of policies. In order to achieve the credibility of the implemented policies, the broadest segments of the population must be involved in the decision-making process.
Read the news in Slovene language here.
23. 3. 2017 | Albania - Local Governments, BIH - Entrepreneurs, European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, Kosovo - Entrepreneurs, Macedonia - corruption, Macedonia - Finance, Macedonia - Resources, Montenegro - EU Accession, PR, Serbia - Migration, Slovenian Development Assistance
CEP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia signed a two-year contract in the framework of Slovenia’s development cooperation for seven new projects that account for 430.400 EUR. Up until today, CEP successfully conducted over 100 development projects in the Western Balkans region.
The projects in 2017 and 2018:
Empowering Kosovo and BiH’s Young Entrepreneurs
The two projects show how Slovenia supports young entrepreneurs and start-ups and empowers young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo to cooperate among each other. By gaining such knowledge, young people will be able to trigger changes that are crucial for better use of the potential of their good ideas and knowledge – on the local, entity and national level. Entrepreneurial mindset and innovative thinking are core to the healthy economic growth, which ensures wellbeing and development for the population. In the framework of the two projects, 20 people from BiH and 20 people from Kosovo will get a chance to participate at the leading regional start-up conference, where they will meet investors, big corporations, listen to the most experienced start-up teams on the international scene and network with the young entrepreneurs with a similar mindset. Youngsters with the best ideas will be able to develop their entrepreneurial ideas and attract the attention of potential investors.
Assistance to Montenegro on EU Accession
The project aims to directly help the working groups from Montenegro in the EU accession negotiations and the relevant state institutions that contribute to the process. Slovenian experts will offer consulting in the framework of the opened negotiation chapters. The dynamics and content of the project will follow the dynamics of the negotiations of Montenegro and their preparation of negotiating strategies, opening and closing of the chapters and other conditions that Montenegro needs to fulfill before its accession to the EU.
Support to Albanian Local Governments on the Preparation of EU/International Projects
The project is focused on the transfer of good practices from Slovenia in the field of strategic programming on the national level and implementation of the projects on the local level. It is based on a number of workshops, through which Slovenian experts offer training in project management to the representatives of Albanian municipalities, regional development agencies and representatives of youth and other non-governmental organizations. They share their experiences when it comes to the implementation of the internationally (with a special emphasis on the EU) supported and financed projects on the regional and local level. At the end of the trainings, participants prepare their own draft application with an authentic project idea.
Support to Macedonia in the EU Accession in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations
With the project, CEP continues to support Macedonia to strengthen their capacities in fight against organised and serious crime and corruption. Since financial gains are both the pre-condition and the main incentive for organised crime, effective implementation of financial investigations and freezing and confiscation of assets in the framework of the Chapter 24 represent the most successful type of measures in fight against organised and serious crime and corruption. The project includes three workshops, individual consultations and development of a study curriculum with selected cases from Slovenia. The project is conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs/Police, Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office and Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.
Capacity Building on Illegal Migration Information Exchange (Serbia)
In 2018, Serbia will receive assistance in order to improve the information exchange system in the field of illegal migrations. With increased migrations, the trafficking in human beings represents the most profitable business of the criminal organizations. The fight against such activities became the priority of all the EU states, and also Serbia, being part of the accession process. In the framework of the project we will exchange experiences and conduct an analysis of the gaps in the current cooperation and information exchange. The workshop that will follow will help develop a communication strategy proposal with practical directions for a more efficient system of operational information flow and effective response to the illegal migrations on the field.
Support to the Development of Efficient Use of Resources Policies (Montenegro)
The focal topic is development and implementation of environmentally responsible policies that support sustainable development and efficient use of natural resources. The objective of the project in 2018 is to assist the adoption of economic solutions that protect the natural resources, for instance the new development paradigm of circular economy that can prevent the negative trend of exploitation of the non-renewable sources and excessive pollution while boosting economy. The public sector has to be a role model that emits an important signal to the Montenegrin market, striving an increase of the supplies of environmentally friendly products and services. During the workshop, the role of the green public procurement and the circular and low-carbon economy will be presented as well.
