10. 5. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, WB6 Startup academy, Youth
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language. 
Center for European Perspective is this year, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and in cooperation with the GIZ Regional Office in Sarajevo, implementing a project ‘WB6 Startup Academy,’ whose main purpose is to empower innovative young entrepreneurs from all six Western Balkan countries to strengthen their knowledge and increase the opportunities for realizing their business idea.
The first three workshops were held in the region (Tirana, Niksic and Pristina), and the last one will take place in Slovenia. On Monday, May 20th, 25 young people, representing 15 entrepreneurial ideas from all six Western Balkan countries, will meet with the Business Angels of Slovenia in the ABC accelerator, where the 8 best will be able to present their entrepreneurial idea to investors. Investors will help them improve ideas, a business model or marketing strategy with critical comments and tips. The group will move to Maribor, where the international conference Podim will be held on May 21 and 22, which is the regional largest conference for start-ups, investors and other experts. The young entrepreneurs will be able to present their ideas at the event, look for potential partners, investors and learn a lot through listening to various lectures from world-renowned experts. One of the main dimensions of the whole workshop is also the peer-to-peer networking of young people, who often face similar challenges in the region.
7. 5. 2019 | Global Education Network Europe, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, Youth
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
As part of the project ‘Global Responsibility for the Future’ on Friday, April 26, 2019, the SLOGA Platform conducted a global learning workshop for young entrepreneurs who are involved in the program of the youth entrepreneurship accelerator Ustvarjalnik. The topic of the workshop was fair trade.
Young entrepreneurs have learned the principles of fair trade and decent work, and what needs to be taken into account when planning and implementing an entrepreneurial idea so that they will not exploit people, harm nature or overuse natural resources.
The purpose of the global learning workshop combined with entrepreneurship was to invite young to start thinking wider about the impact of their product /service or components that are required to produce their product.
Through experiential activities the participants discussed the shortcomings of fast fashion and alternative methods of production – fair trade products and services – and were invited to form their ideas in line with principles of fair trade. In the discussion they examined how their products could be even more sustainable. SLOGA platform also offered young entrepreneurs the possibility of individual counselling, which some of the workshop participants have already used.
More and more young people in Slovenia are involved in business workshops and activities that encourage development of entrepreneurship. However, such activities devote little attention to the global dimension and sustainable development. The main purpose of those workshops is to provide, through the support and mentoring of representatives of NGOs, an opportunity for young people to acquire the skills needed to promote a sustainable lifestyle, including respect for human rights, gender equality, promoting the culture of peace and non-violence, citizenship of the world and to respect cultural diversity.
Participants of the workshop were as well acquainted with the possibility that their ideas will be competing for the award that will be granted to the most ethical idea at the end of the project.
The project is financed by the Global Education network Europe – GENE. The project is part of the CEP program activities co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the scope of Slovenia’s development cooperation.
Source: SLOGA Platform
6. 3. 2019 | Macedonia - Finance, PR
The Centre of European Perspective was honored to welcome Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani at Jable Castle on his official visit to Slovenia.
He was welcomed by Program Director Andreja Dolničar Jeraj and CEP Executive Director Katja Geršak. The discussion revolved around cooperation between the Republic of Northern Macedonia and CEP. CEP is currently involved with the implementation of Slovenian Development Assistance to Northern Macedonia and is jointly working with multiple projects. Both sides also expressed certainty that the joint work on the accession of North Macedonia to the EU will be intensified in the future. We look forward to continue our fruitful cooperation.
1. 3. 2019 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the period 2019-2020 we continue the work which started in the last two years with Slovenian development support in the area of capacity building of North Macedonia for the implementation of financial investigations and confiscation of proceeds of crime and property of illegal origin.
In addition to fulfilling criteria for the EU membership, this is an important area for prevention of organised crime and functioning of role of law which constitute favorable business environment for economic development and foreign investments. With confiscations we prevent perpetrators of criminal offences to continue its criminal activities and offer a clear message that crime does not pay off.
Talks with North Macedonia stakeholders were conducted in Skopje between 25 and 27 February 2019 about details of activities to be implemented in the period 2019-2020 for improvements of the system of financial investigations.
The project is part of the program activities carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia / Police of the Republic of Slovenia and is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia from the funds for international development cooperation.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
27. 2. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, WB6 Startup academy
SUPPORTING STARTUPS AND YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS THIS YEAR CONTINUES – WB6 STARTUP ACADEMY
Youth and especially young entrepreneurs are a part of society that is usually bursting with energy, good ideas and positive attitude. We are missing more of such an approach in the Western Balkan countries that is why we have once more joined forces with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the German development agency GIZ. After four years of a bilateral cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina and a three-year cooperation with Kosovo, last year’s program was for the very first time organized regionally, and included all six countries namely: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Due to excellent feedback and a rich exchange of experience among countries, we have contacted the regional office of GIZ based in Sarajevo that already has experience with regional startup workshops and joined forces in a rich program that will be organized in English. Four workshops will unfold in different cities and countries: Tirana (Albania), Nikšić (Montenegro), Pristina (Kosovo) and Ljubljana – Maribor (Slovenia), with an intensive mentoring program occurring between the activities. We named the overall program ‘Building the WB6 Unicorn’, and by doing so clearly indicated, that we firmly believe in excellent ideas in the region. We want to empower them and make sure, that they will take the lead globally.
Workshops were developed by experts with vast experiences and are therefore pretty intensive and very practically orientated. The size of the group is also suited to this type of work, as we have selected 2 best startups from each country that will cooperate in all of the planned activities. In addition, the focus point of the program is based on two dimensions – peer to peer learning and regional networking, as international cooperation is a skill that is essential for a global breakthrough of startups and their positioning on the international market.
The first workshop is intended for actors of the startup support environment (leaders of HUBs, accelerators, incubators), while the other three are intended for startups.
Project is part of the activities that are through the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
3. 2. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Waste management
U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme continues with Slovenia is hosting the third international study visit on the topic of waste management.
The visit will take place between 3rd and 8th February 2019 with 18 public officials from Ukraine visiting Ljubljana, Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj, under the patronage of U-LEAD with Europe Programme. The project on the topic of waste management – “Upgrading Municipal Waste Management Services” – helps key actors of 36 selected amalgamated hromadas in three Ukrainian regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn and Zhytomyr) to implement green approaches in the waste management sector.
Participants will begin their visit with an introduction day at Jable Castle, meeting a number of representatives of Slovenian administrative and governing bodies and NGOs. In the following days, the workshops will take the participants to the field, visiting Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj.
The visit is taking place in the framework of the multi-donor action U-LEAD established by the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden. It is aimed to contribute to the establishment of multilevel governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine. U-LEAD with Europe is supporting the Ukrainian Government, represented by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine (MinRegion) as a key political partner, in the coordination and implementation of the decentralisation and regional policy reforms. The Programme carries out demand-driven and targeted trainings for officials at the national, regional and local level.
