12. 5. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, Danube, PR, Youth
We are thankful to EU Strategy for Danube Region, who is covering travel grants for young leaders coming from the Danube region countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine.
Successful applicants will have their accommodation and meals covered for the duration of the program.
Application are open until 27th of May 2018.
Read more about the application process here.
4. 5. 2018 | Danube, PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Entrepreneurial mindset and innovative thinking are the foundation of a healthy growth of the economy, which in turn ensures prosperity and an adequate level of development for all inhabitants. Young entrepreneurs are therefore indispensable and very resourceful part of each society. Active and creative minds are important for economic development, prosperity as well as for positive outlook.
This is why CEP for the second year in a row identified start-ups from the Danube region to participate in a fully funded entrepreneurial programme “Facilitating Enhanced Cooperation among Young Danube Experts” at the largest start-up conference in the region, PODIM Conference. PODIM conference is a leading start-up conference in Alps-Adriatic region that has been first time organized 38 years ago. In this time, it developed from a smaller entrepreneurial conference to leading gathering in the region. It shows how actors from various fields and levels can work together and reach much more than they ever could alone.
Having started by supporting the young entrepreneurs from Bosnia and Herzegovina and later on from Kosovo, the programme expanded to additional 9 countries participating this year: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.
CEP supports entrepreneurs and young people with entrepreneurial ideas who would like to develop and upgrade/advance their ideas, assists them to meet and connect, as together, with different approaches and broader pressures, they can influence the entrepreneurial climate in their own country.
Best entrepreneurial ideas were selected through a “PODIM Challenge” competition that we organized together with the PODIM Conference. Young entrepreneurs had to present their idea, team and business plan. The expert commission has reviewed a large number of very competitive applications and made the final selection.
CEP as the PA10 Coordinator will host them in Maribor, Slovenia during the PODIM Conference between 14 and 16 May 2018.
Selected start-ups from the Danube region are:
20. 4. 2018 | Danube, PR
Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a complex phenomenon that is highly dependent on regional and local economic, social as well as cultural factors. Priority Area 10 is playing an active role in facilitating a discussion among experts, municipalities, cities and non-governmental organizations. Only common efforts can result in tangible steps for combating human trafficking and exploitation.
On April 18th 2018 around 30 experts, practitioners, academics, representatives of municipalities, civil society organizations, international organizations and others interested in the topic of combating human trafficking from nine countries from Danube Region and wider gathered in Slovenia.
They dedicated lively discussion and exchange of views on opportunities for strengthening the role of municipalities and cities in preventing and combating human trafficking and exploitation. They have touched upon various angles of this highly multifaced problem that has rarely only national effect – most often regional approach is bringing the most results. Round table was moderated by Ms Helga Konrad that is currently serving as a director of the Regional Implementation Initiative on preventing and combating human trafficking in Vienna. With her vast experiences on all policy levels she steered discussion towards practical and concrete answers, proposals and actions.
.JPG)
Slovene national coordinator for combating trafficking in human beings (THB) Mr Sandi Čurin expressed his satisfaction that discussion on combating THB moved from expert to political level. Within Brdo process regional ministers and national coordinators of the THB accepted joined declaration where they agreed that comprehensive and coordinated approach both at national level and within regional initiatives is crucial. This was similarly emphasized by Ms Tetiana Rudenko from OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. In their action plan they focus on prevention, prosecution, protection and co-ordination and partnerships.
For this reason, they have organized among others a training with extensive simulation on Combating Human Trafficking Along Migration Routes that brought many challenges in multi-level cooperation on the surface. Ms Alexandra Malangone shared some details from the simulation that is providing a safe environment for extensive learning for practitioners with various backgrounds that have to work together.
Mr Mike Dottridge presented his suggestions for improved and quicker identification of children being abused and/or exploited on the street and how municipalities could play more important role. One of the most effective preventive actions would surely be discouragement of the demand which is responsibility of us all not only public institutions. Mr Philipp Schwertmann completely agreed, as he is striving to inform migrants and others about their labor rights which are often crucially connected to countering the THB. One of his suggestion was to introduce a due diligence in supply chain, which could be efficiently used as well by municipalities in cities that are many times large investors. Mr Stefano Volpicelli shared his experiences from some Italian cities and Malta, where they proved that if there is political will than many barriers can be minimized. In shared cases municipality majors played an important coordinative role that was at the same time the main machine for designing the cooperation mechanism that was effective and well accepted by the local population.
Additionally, practices from cities of Barcelona, Vienna and Ljubljana were shared together with come concrete and valuable insights by the present civil society organizations and academics. Some of the final conclusions called for creative thinking (out of the box) when designing the anti-trafficking policies, great patience and understating when working with victims, better coordination of multi-level actors as well as for instant removal of various administrative barriers that prevent actors on the ground to be more efficient as well as victim-centered.
Comprehensive report will follow shortly.
5. 4. 2018 | Danube, PR
Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a complex phenomenon that is highly dependent on regional and local economic, social as well as cultural factors. Priority Area 10 is playing an active role in facilitating a discussion among experts, municipalities, cities and non-governmental organizations. Only common efforts can result in tangible steps for combating human trafficking and exploitation.
We are inviting you to save the date for our round table on 18 April 2018 that will take place at Jable Castle, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Focus of discussion will be on strengthening the role of municipalities and cities in preventing & combating human trafficking & exploitation: The Importance of a coordinated and integrated approach. Detailed programe with experts participating: DCAHT AGENDA.
For more information and confirmation of your attendance, please contact PAC Slovenia, Ms Nina Čepon at [email protected]
More about the seminar from last November can be read at goo.gl/KLakLY
12. 3. 2018 | Danube, PR
Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a complex phenomenon that is highly dependent on regional and local economic, social as well as cultural factors. Priority Area 10 is playing an active role in facilitating a discussion among experts, municipalities, cities and non-governmental organizations. Only common efforts can result in tangible steps for combating human trafficking and exploitation.
We are inviting you to save the date for our round table on 18 April 2108 that will take place at Jable castle, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Focus of discussion will be on strengthening the role of municipalities and cities in preventing & combating human trafficking & exploitation: The Importance of a coordinated and integrated approach. Detailed programme will follow soon.
More about the seminar from last November can be read at goo.gl/KLakLY
12. 3. 2018 | Danube, PR, Youth
Young are indispensable and very resourceful part of each society. Active and creative minds are important for economic development, prosperity as well as for positive outlook. We have therefore identified start-ups as one of the most active among young and decided to bring them together to discuss their views and experiences. We are most interested in their participation in policy processes and ideas how to make their lives better and meaningful in the region they share – Danube region.
As Slovenia is hosting an important regional conference related to start-up world, Podim conference, our discussion will be organized at the same time – to offer young twofold experience: sharing experiences and knowing peers from the region and listening to excellent entrepreneurs, startups as well as investors. So save the date on 15 and 16 May!
We invite two startups from each country to join us! Tickets and accommodation will be provided for best two ideas from each country*, so apply fast – only until Friday, 23.3.2018! You should apply through the link for your country below.
You can read about our last year’s gathering – 2017 gathering report.
BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA
BULGARIA
CROATIA
CZECH REPUBLIC
HUNGARY
MOLDOVA
MONTENEGRO
ROMANIA
SERBIA
SLOVAKIA
UKRAINE
* Austria, Germany and Slovenia are excluded as their youth is well represented through other projects.
