For Future
‘The
problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics
whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can
dream of things that never were!’
John F. Kennedy
We invite you to join our campaign
PLACE FOR FUTURE
What is it?
A university campaign for sustainable development and civil participation carried out by the Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association and its partners.
What are we going to do?
Place
for Future is an opportunity to combine new and different approaches,
enjoyment and care for the environment with education, meeting new
people, organizing workshops, open-air concerts, seminars, discussions,
round tables, and informal learning from the personal example set by the
members of the project.
We were brought together by our caring for the future of our favourite spots, in nature and the city alike.
Be one of us!
Who are we?
Young and committed, responsible and cheerful, ambitious and daring – an inspired team
of friends and like-minded folks, still learning from one another and
enjoying our work – because we plan, reflect, party, participate,
create, give our best, offer solutions for the type of development that
does have a future.
Who else takes part?
Our partners are For the Nature Coalition of non-governmental and civil organizations, New Bulgarian University, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, and…
you.
You are the future. You are concerned about the fate of Irakli, Sinemorets, the Knyazhevo Woods, Strandja and all the other heavenly, still virginal places around Bulgaria… and not only.
You
sympathize with those citizens who not only protect Bulgarian nature
and cultural heritage, but also set an example of honourable human and
civil conduct.
You are an inquiring, seeking and active person, interested in the world around and helping change it for the better.
You believe it’s important to know your civil rights and learn how to uphold them.
You understand the benefits of civil activity and wish to get involved with a project, idea or event of your own.
You
wish to find out more about the people who struggle to help the Rhodope
Mountains, Vitosha, the Russian Church in Sofia, the Bulgaria Grand
Hotel survive… Who organize tourism that fits in with the environment.
Who stand up for their rights not just for themselves, but for the whole
of their community. Who offer sustainable ways of development. Who
are not afraid to be different, because their difference builds upon
principles and values. Who see a point in being concerned about their
fellow beings and draw satisfaction from deeds whose fruits will be
gathered by the generations after them.
Who
are invisible today – but shall be talked about tomorrow. Who think and
act now, so that we human beings will be around also in the future.
You are a student, lecturer, university administrator…
You’re familiar with interesting and active people and initiatives which may enrich our understanding of the social world.
You have professional and civil experience that you’d like to share with colleagues and new friends.
You
have ideas that you want to see come true: make a movie or clip, write
an essay or article, plan and conduct a survey, organize a meeting or
debate…
You wish to find others like you.
Look for us here (http://placeforfuture.org) or email us at place.for.future -at- gmail.com!
The Place for Future campaign evolved as a continuation of the eponymous project, which was carried out with the financial assistance of the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, CEE Trust.
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analis A Place For Future civil participation cultural heritage Culture of the Future debates of the future education campaigns Enviornmentalists crews Enviornmental Menagement NBU Enviornmental NGOs For Students For the Nature Georgi Stefanov Gergana Kosturkova grassroots green art green classics green documents green history green practics green volunteers Kalin Nenov Lections New Culture and Spirituality Our Movies Petar Kanev Political Science NBU practical education Practice seminaire-discussion Students Auteurs Sustainable Development trainingship Traveling Seminair TRAVELING UNIVERSITY University Outdoor University Outdoor in Vitosha Mountain WITH OUR SUPPORT Витоша Непознатата Витоша Нов български университет арх. Мартин Микуш ас. Радосвета Кръстанова гмо наука на бъдещетоShtastlivetsa Association - The Happy Ones
I. HERE AND NOW
II. FUTURE IN THE PAST
III. UNIVERSIY DISCIPLINES
IV. CULTURE OF THE FUTURE
V. UNIVERSITY OUTDOOR
VI. A PLECE FOR AUTEOURS
VII. DIARY OF THE CAMPAIGN
- дебати на бъдещето
- интервюта
- лекции
- практическо обучение
- пътуващ университет
- с наша подкрепа
- семинар - дискусия
VIII. A PLACE FOR COMMUNICATION
VIIII. WHO WE ARE
X. A PLACE FOR MEETINGS - links
- граждански инициативи
- екологични организации
- нова култура и духовност
- образователни кампании
- Община Чипровци
- Природен парк Витоша
- природозащитни групи
Y. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and CIVIL PARTICIPATION - Programe documets
- Наръчник на гражданина в ЕС
- Орхуска конвенция
- Устойчиво развитие: Доклад на Брундланд пред ООН: “Нашето общо бъдеще”
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THE PROJECT
University Project for Sustainable Development and Civil Participation
A PLACE FOR FUTURE
Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association
in partnership with New Bulgarian University, Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski” and the FOR THE NATURE Coalition of NGO’s and Civil Movements
Sustainable development and civil participation are not only key priorities for the future of the European Union. They are also key projects for the future of us all.
PLACE FOR FUTURE presents real examples of civil participation and good practices of sustainable development in an academic environment.
A key word of the project is interaction.
Introducing a wide public debate into universities, the project provides opportunities for interaction between active members of civil society and the academic community.
PLACE FOR FUTURE integrates the issues of real civil participation into students’ education as part of the project for sustainable development of our society.
University environment is the natural place for visions and innovative projects for the future to be born. University education is meant to create an intellectual elite – competent specialists with active stances on civil issues.
PLACE FOR FUTURE contributes to this goal.
The project combines two aspects. First, by organizing various events in an academic environment, we support active civil initiatives. And second, in this way PLACE FOR FUTURE incorporates innovative forms of training into higher education. The students acquire knowledge and experience not only for the theoretical but also for the practical aspect of civil participation, as a basic element of sustainable development.
The two aspects of the PLACE FOR FUTURE project determine the two target groups: the university community and the spontaneous civil initiatives dealing with concrete issues. Some of the actors in these two sectors actually span both of them.
These two aspects also determine the innovative and interdisciplinary nature of the project.
The PLACE FOR FUTURE project integrates the practical dimensions of civil participation and sustainable development into university education. It introduces relevant issues and trends into specific courses and subjects, by carrying out cаse studies, writing reports and diploma theses, and participation in practices and internships in the non-governmental sector, team project work, summer field work and traveling seminars.
The involvement of our academic partners gives civil initiatives the opportunity to get specific expert and professional help. On the other side, the experience of civil initiatives enriches university education with concrete good practices and topics for educational activities.
The unique Resource Fund of the PLACE FOR FUTURE project allows original student and civil initiatives to be realized.
The wide public debate in an academic environment is carried out by the team and partners of PLACE FOR FUTURE through a series of thematic and conceptually related events – seminars, discussions, round-table talks, experience exchange meetings, exhibitions, ateliers, projections, press conferences.
The partnering departments, faculties and non-governmental organizations provide expert, logistic, and administrative assistance for the realization of the project’s aims.
PLACE FOR FUTURE
is a new type of project, because it
•
establishes strong links among different social circles – civil
initiatives, non-governmental organizations, the academic sphere;
•
and gives specific examples of how sustainable thinking can turn into
sustainable action, also providing practical hands-on trainings for the
students,
which
determines the interdisciplinary collaborative work of faculties,
centers and universities, bringing together a wide range of subjects and
fields,
because we are positive that only in dialog and active interaction between us, there can be real sustainable development.
Objectives
- Informing the academic milieu of the existing civil initiatives for environmental conservation and sustainable development
- Students’ and professors’ commitment to support these civil initiatives
- Creating an academic space for ideas and experience sharing and exchange
- Encouraging and stimulating the network of already existing active university and inter-university student groups or initiatives tackling with various current environmental protection and sustainable development issues
- Improving civil initiatives’ capacity via sharing effective practices and expert support by professors and NGO experts
- Integration of the core Project’s sustainable development concepts and practices into the students’ curricula and professors’ schedules as internships and traineeships
Activities aimed at informing and presenting the core concepts, ideas and activities of the Project
1. Carrying out
information meetings, lectures, presentations, video screenings in
various Departments and Universities aimed at familiarizing the
academic environment with the civil initiatives and the issues that
triggered them- (1) Could we Save Bulgaria’s Nature? - Debate with the participation of For the Nature Coalition and representatives of partnering Departments at New Bulgarian University /October 23, 2008, New Bulgarian University, hall 409, Building 1/
- (2) Nature With no Borders - discussion with David Morand, head of France – Rila Association /October 28, 2008, New Bulgarian University, Small Aula/
- (3) Оfficial presentation of Place for Future Project /aims, core concepts, activities, team members, Project’s partners; screening of a short documentary about the project created and directed by NBU students /October 30, 2008, New Bulgarian University, hall 409, Building 1/
- (10) My Vitosha - seminar-discussion about Vitosha Nature Park with the participation of partnering NGOs /Katerina Rakovska /WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme/, Aleksander Dunchev /Association of Bulgarian Parks/, Nadezhda Maksimova /For the Nature Coalition/, University Club for Ecology and Sustainable Development in Sofia University UNECO and Place for Future students/ /December 11, 2008, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Rector’s Office, Auditorium 65/
- see the Project’s web-site, Project’s forum, the NBU forum, the For the Nature Coalition site, Bluelink;
information about all project events has been disseminated via several
mailing lists with a current total of ca. 500 individual subscribers and
ca. 700 media contacts; two brochures published /aimed at students and
professors/; radio interviews, broadcasts on TV channels
Activities aimed at involving the academic milieu
3. Discussions of
various hot issues and topics organized by the students and
professors themselves with the participation of representatives of
NGOs and civil initiatives. Both students and professors launch and
implement actions supported and coordinated by the relevant
University coordinator.- a Place for Future short documentary directed and produced by NBU students Elena Koleva and GrigorAtanasov from the Cinema, Advertisement and Show Business Department at NBU; screened at the Official presentation of Place for Future Project /October 30, 2008, New Bulgarian University/
- involvement of NBU’s Student Council in organizing and logistically supporting Bulgaria – a Country with no Future or а Place for Future photo exhibition (see pt. 6 below)
- (8) Water - screening of The Great Secret of Water, followed by a lecture by Prof. Vassil Simeonov /Sofia University/, a screening of the Place for Future documentary and a discussion /November 05, 2008, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridsky, Rector’s Office, Auditorium 65/ - organized in collaboration with the University Club for Ecology and Sustainable Development in Sofia University UNECO
- (11) A public discussion of problems, the current state of and future plans for urban development of the Student Campus area Studentski grad, organised by a students’ intiative committee, including the Association for Development and Public Control of Student Hostels and Canteens SROKSOS and other students NGOs, supported by Place for Future; attended by the Vice-minister of Health Stoyan Stoyanov /December 16, 2008, Seminar Hall of American University, Student Campus area Studentski grad, Sofia/
- (12) Water 2 - screening of The Great Secret of Water ІІ, presentations by students and discussion of the issues of water resources and supply in Bulgaria – organized by the University Club for Ecology and Sustainable Development in Sofia University UNECO and supported by Place for Future /December 17, 2008, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridsky, Rector’s Office, Auditorium 65/
- (14) Culture of the Future – Projects and Practices for Sustainable Development - a BA course at Sofia University, Department of Culture’s Theory and History /Thursdays, 1.15 – 3.00 p.m., Department of Culture’s Theory and History, Block 1, hall 410; director and lecturer of the Course: Petar Kanev, PhD in Philosophy/
- (15) Non-governmental Organizations and Management – a module within Comparative Politics and International Affairs MA Programme at the Political Science Department, NBU /Thursdays, 6.00 – 7.30 p.m., hall 602, Building 2, NBU; director and lecturer of the Module: Ass. Prof. Radosveta Krestanova/
- (16) European Projects – a module within the Comparative Politics and International Affairs MA Programme at Political Science Department, NBU /Thursdays, in various institutions and organizations involved in the implementation of EU Operational Programs’ projects; director and lecturer of the Module: ass. Prof. Radosveta Krestanova/
Activities aimed at creating a space for sharing and exchange of ideas and experience
4. Organization
and carrying out of inter-departmental and interdisciplinary
thematic meetings, seminars and discussions on current hot issues - (5) Youth in the Green Movement – seminar with the participation of Project team members and students from partnering Departments at NBU – Mass Communications, Economics and Business Administration and Political Science Departments /October 11, 2008, NBU, Building 1, hall 409/
- (6) The BIG Little Choices – lecture by Kalin Nenov and Architect Martin Mikush and discussion with students from various departments at NBU /November 12, 2008, NBU, hall 214, Building 1/
- (7) The BIG Little Compost - a workshop demonstrating the construction of a compost container by NBU students; organised and supervised by Martin Mikush, Yuliana Nascova and Kalin Nenov /November 14, 2008, back yard of NBU/
- (9) Planting trees at the Dragoman Marsh, with the participation of students involved in Place for Future; organised and supervised by Georgi Stefanov and partnering NGOs – Balkani Wildlife Society and The Centre for Environmental Information and Education /December 06, 2008, Dragoman/
- (13) Sofia – a City for People – a round table about civil participation in the Sofia Municipality Council and topical problems of Sofia, with the participation of representatives of civil initiatives related to various urban issues /December 18, 2008, NBU, Building 1, hall 409/
- see Project’s web-site, esp. the Diary category, and the integrated Place for Future module on www.forthenature.org; see subforum Information, Knowledge, Wisdom at the Project’s forum
6. Organizing and promoting three mobile exhibitions in Universities- (4) Bulgaria – a Country with no Future or a Place for Future photo exhibition, in collaboration with NBU’s Student Council /October 30-November 7, 2008, Small Aula, NBU/
Activities aimed at encouraging the already existing students initiatives network
7. Supporting
civil and students’ initiatives and actions, incl. students’
workshops (atelies) in partnering Organizations (Universities and
NGOs)
- see Water and Water 2 in pt. 3
8. Encouraging of
timely and effective students’ actions supporting the civil
initiatives via funds from a designated Emergency Resource Fund
- see public discussion about issues in Studentski grad and Water 2 in pt. 3; both events were funded by the Project’s Emergency Fund
9. Compilation,
publication and distribution of a compendium describing the
Project’s achievements, results and impact
Scheduled later
Activities aimed at strengthening and enhancing civil initiatives’ capacity
10. Securing
experts’ support depending on various problems and specific needs:
barristers’ office, drafting project proposals, experts statements,
assessments, etc, regarding sustainable development plans as well
as strategic vision and development plans, including urban design
charette, with design proposals, presentations of sustainable
architectural design, strategies for cultural and ecological
tourism.- Arch. Martin Mikush – Saving a Tree, the Citizen’s Way; Bulgarian Centre for Non-Profit Law - counseling on NGO law
- A survey measuring awareness about civil organizations and initiatives and civic culture among academic circles; some 200 quizzes collected, processed, analyzed and summarized
Activities aiming at sustainable development concepts and practices integration into curricula
12. Student internships in partnering NGO- Martin Valchev, a Cultural Studies student, doing an internship at Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
- Gabriela Petrova, Gergana Kosturkova, Violeta Krusteva – Cultural Studies students, doing an internship at Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association
- ongoing negotiations with Vitosha Nature Park and the Municipality of Chiprovtsi
Scheduled later
Аchievements and lessons:
- Successful integration of project activities into the curricula
- Team has expanded, involving active students
- Topicality of project accounts for extra activities and events, eg. (11), media, academic and public interest
- Stimulating our NGO partners to offer more internships
- Preparation of summer traineeships
The aims of PLACE FOR FUTURE are:
• Popularization of active civil initiatives in university environmentProbably you have heard of civil initiatives such as Save Irakli or Sofia - A City for People. PLACE FOR FUTURE gives you the opportunity to meet their participants – live and in person. Because civil community in Bulgaria is not only an abstract term or a nice wish – it has its actual incarnations in real living people and concrete communities…
• Interaction among civil initiatives and communities on the one hand, and between civil initiatives, and university lecturers and students on the other – communication, debates, discussions, mutual training, practical examples and common work…
For a living social connection of solidarity and help among various civil and professional communities, between active civil groups and the academic community…
In this interaction, through experience exchange and practical exercises related to their professional realization, students acquire skills for an integrated approach to reality and for being socially active, and develop their civil competency.
• Involving the potential of expert representatives of the academic environment and the partnering non-governmental organizations; and engaging students by direct participation in the project activities as part of their training through:
- Offering academic credits for specialized courses connected to the project
- Independent work
- Course projects and theses
- Internships in NGO or another partnering organization
- Summer practice
- Travelling seminar
- Participation in round-table talks, discussions, seminars
- Providing opportunities for independent initiatives
Experience has convinced us that questioning and protesting are not enough to build a future from our surrounding environment.
We have devoted ourselves to this project because it is necessary to offer solutions together for a kind of development that has future.
Join us!
There’s а place for you.
You can always find us at place.for.future -at- gmail.com.
The Association
Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association was founded in the beginning of 2006 as a spontaneous civil initiative (initially known as the Initiative Committee for Cleanness and Legality) in response to the problems of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. The idea of the association is to bring together concerned citizens from different professional and social areas in joint actions on key issues of public interest.
The main objectives in the Shtastlivetza statute include: Achieving real and effective civil control over the work and decisions of state and municipal authorities; participation in the decision making and implementing processes; Improving the living environment of the people in Sofia; Achieving transparency and awareness of the citizens of the actions of state and municipal authorities.
In Shtastlivetza, we are connected by the values and practices of civil competency and activity, the awareness of the necessity of civil education, the protection of nature, including human nature and the love of people, life and living nature – the love that brings happiness.
The name Shtastlivetza (’The Happy One’ in Bulgarian) largely expresses the values uniting the association. It combines the byname of our most famous citizen and environmentalist - the great democrat and life-affirming writer Aleko Konstantinov; the most popular region in the Vitosha mountain; and happiness: the state of mind that one enters when participating in the public processes actively and with a pure heart.
The association strives for creating interconnections between people with common values and fostering a wide public debate on the major issues connected to our natural living environment.
So far Shtastlivetza has initiated and participated in a variety of events – public discussions, press conferences, media appearances, meetings with institution representatives, rallies, petitions, debates, lectures, happenings and performances, exhibitions, workshops…
In 2006, Shtastlivetsa members were part of the permanent civil participation in the Sofia Municipal Commission of Environment, Waters and Forests (with the right to put forward statements, recommendations and proposals, all to be voted by the commission). The association is an active participant in the public debates and all the issues related to the new Sofia Spatial Plan discussions. Since our early existence, we have been members of the ZERO WASTE civil coalition for the comprehensive resolution of the Sofia waste problem. In this connection, the association successfully carried out a project for civil advocacy under the Open Society Institute in Sofia (2006) and became an active participant in the Eco-family civil coalition.
Since the spring of 2006, all members of the association have actively participated in the campaign for protecting Irakli and the virgin places along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, and together with other civil groups and organizations have contributed to organizing a petition for Irakli and the Black Sea coast, public campaigns and university seminars about Irakli and about implementing the European network of protected areas Natura 2000 in its full version.
Since the spring of 2006, Shtastlivetza is an active member of the FOR THE NATURE Coalition.
Since 2008, the association, together with a partnering interdisciplinary team, is carrying out the university project for civil participation and sustainable development PLACE FOR FUTURE, supported by the CEE Trust. The project is the major personal contribution of Shtastlivetza to the comprehensive activity of the FOR THE NATURE coalition. It aims to create a large civil forum in a university environment and introduce the subjects of civil participation and sustainable development as a practical activity in the curricula of various university programmes.
The board of managers of Shtastlivetza” is: Chairman – Ass. Prof. Radosveta Krastanova, and members Lyudmila Ivanova and Dr. Petar Kanev.
For the period 2006-2008, Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association has taken part in the following initiatives and actions:
- Official communication with competent authorities on a local, national and European level and application of the legislative regulations for information access together with other civil initiatives, organizations and active students from New Bulgarian University, Sofia University, Southwestern University, University for Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, University of National and World Economy and other universities;
- Launching and organizing petitions and presenting them to the competent authorities (petition for preservation and protection of the Black Sea coastline and Bulgarian nature in the Bulgarian National Assembly on 23 Jan 2007 and in the European Parliament on 21 April 2007);
- Organization and holding of consultative public meetings and debates;
- Appointments and discussions with representatives of competent environmental authorities – Мinistry of Environment and Waters, Parliamentary Commission of Environment, Waters and Forests, Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Waters;
- Permanent civil participation in the Sofia Municipal Commission of Environment, Waters and Forests (with the right to put forward statements, recommendations and proposals, all to be voted by the commission);
- New Sofia Spatial Plan discussions - participated with official recommendations and statements;
- Co-organizing and participating in rallies and demonstrations against the illegal garbage baling, incl. a joint rally of all civil initiatives and NGOs committed to resolving Sofia’s garbage crisis;
- Co-organizing and participating in rallies and other events in defence of Natura 2000, Irakli, Rila, Strandja, along with other civil initiatives and NGOs;
- Organizing and holding discussions, seminars and other academic events concerning the main topics of interest for the Shtastlivetsa Association (seminar-discussion “Europe, Natura 2000, civil society”, debate with Stavros Dimas - EU Environment Commissioner, student event “What did you do for the Earth?” on the occasion of 22 April 2007, Earth’s Day, screening and discussion of the documentary Water in New Bulgarian University under the “Beautiful Science – Living Memory” project, “Urban planning, regulation, nature and sustainable development” debate at the University for Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy - Sofia);
- Launching and carrying out a journalistic investigation: a documentary concerning the garbage crisis in Sofia (Nova TV broadcast – Na chisto (”On a Clean Slate”) broadcasting - Promedia Production);
- Preparation, publication and distribution of information materials, announcements, reports (Bluelink, News bg, Mediapool, Save Irakli, For the Nature - forthenature.org); media events – interviews, participation in TV broadcasts and discussions (Bulgarian National Radio, Bulgarian National Television, 24 Hours newspaper, etc.); maintaining a mailing list and blog of Shtastlivetsa
- Preparation, publication and distribution of reviews and scientific reports on civil participation in nature protection in Bulgaria (Bluelink, For The Nature site, Save Irakli site, scientific symposia published by New Bulgarian University);
- Cooperating with and supporting civil initiatives (Save Irakli, Save Rila, Save Strandja)
- Initiation and participation in environmental coalitions (Zero Waste coalition, For The Nature coalition);
- Field trips for research and documentation of particular environmental protection issues;
- Conducting individual expert consultations for interested local parties and people and for representatives of civil initiatives;
- Filing a case against the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Waters (RIEW) – Sofia for violating environmental legislation;
- Forming a team committed to implementing an inter-university civil campaign promoting the principles and values of civil participation and sustainable development - the Place for Future team;
- Strengthening the existing partnerships and creating new ones with members of civil initiatives, NGOs and the academic circles.
The Association funding for 2006 amounted to the grant received under Performing Genuine Civil Control over the Activities of the Sofia Municipality, the Concessionaires and the State Institutions Aimed at a Proper (Environmentally and Publicly Acceptable) Solution to the Sofia Waste Crisis: a 5-month project funded by Open Society Institute, Sofia, carried out within the framework of Vindication campaigns for improving local policies, and implemented within the period April – November 2006. The principal recipient of the above project was Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association (formerly known as The Initiative Committee for Cleanness and Legality).
The project grant (5000 BGN) was spent for carrying out journalistic investigations and field trips to the sites of interest, organizing exhibitions, drafting and translating experts’ statements.
For 2007, the generated revenue of Shtastlivetsa Association was solely from membership fees and amounted to 840 BGN. The implementation of all of the above activities is co-funded and supported by environmental NGOs, civil initiatives, and New Bulgarian University and University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy’s Departments.
~ ~ ~
Excerpts from the Stastlivetsa Statute
Scope of activities
Art. 5. The association performs activities for the benefit of the public, namely, actions directed at the expansion of civil control over the work and decisions of all state and municipal authorities; participation in the making and implementation of their decisions
Chief goals of the association
Art. 6. The chief goals of the association are:
1. Achieving a genuine and effective civil control over the work and decisions of all state and municipal authorities; participation in the making and implementation of their decisions
2. Improving the living environment of Sofia’s citizens
3. Achieving transparency and a high level of citizens’ awareness with regard to the actions of state and municipal authorities
Means to accomplish the goals of the association
Art. 7. The means used by the association to accomplish its goals are:
1. Contacts with governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations
2. Publications, media appearances
3. Organizing rallies, demonstrations, protests and other activities not prohibited by law
4. Organizing seminars, conferences, round tables…
5. Organizing exhibitions, literary readings, performances, happenings and other cultural events
TEAM AND NEW MEMBERS
On its last general meeting in February 2009, Shtastlivetsa admitted the following new members:
Gergana Kosturkova, Violeta Krusteva, Gabriela Petrova, Yuliana Naskova, Dimitar Dimov, Georgi Stefanov, Rostislav Kandilarov, Teodor Vasilev, Lora
The people who are part of the team of Place for Future but are not members of Shtastlivetza are:
Martin Mikush, Neli Stankova
Active assistants in the project also are:
Yordanka Dineva, Nadezhda Maksimova, Galina Slavova, Borislav Sandov
Our Partners
Our main partners in the Place for Future project are:
For the Nature Coalition of Civil and Environmental Organizations
Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT)
Centre for Environmental Information and Education (CEIE)
Municipal Council at the Municipality of Chiprovtsi
Several Departments at New Bulgarian University
Balkani Wildlife Society
UNECO University Club, Sofia University
WWF: Danube-Carpathian Programme
Za Zemiata Environmental Association
Department of Cultural Studies at the Southwestern University Neofit Rilski
Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
Faculty of Philosophy at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Department of Cultural Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Directorate of Vitosha Nature Park
Radosveta Krastanova:
However, not long ago I had a similar conversation with two of my students. They were complaining against the ignorance in Bulgaria and just like Aleko, were asking themselves “Switzerland or…?” When I asked them if they were not a piece of the same picture, they started a heated argument – their parents were different, they had chance upon relatives, teachers, friends, they were born in good social environment, they had genetically set talents. I asked them if their negative observations concern me. “In no way. How could you even think of it?” My parents? – Obviously no – being my parents they have, to a great extent, formed me, to be the person I am now. I started to extend the range of suspects – named other colleagues, lecturers, my students’ relatives – here the answer was all the same: “We are not talking about these people; they are from those OTHER people… You know what we are talking about, don’t pretend you do not understand.”
It turns out that when it comes to being concrete, the conversation sinks in schizophrenia – those conclusions refer to the OTHERS, but not for me, my parents, and my friends.
And it is so because…
The Bulgarian as an individual is a measure of intelligence, resourcefulness and adaptability, of success and flexibility, but only when they are in another, well organized, standardized and cultivated environment…
The conclusion goes without saying – I am capable and gifted, the problem is either in the system, or in the OTHERS. The way to escape is to run. Run out- abroad, or run in – in ourselves, in the more and more limited circle of friends.
Our dreams reach the same – we dream how to escape from the reality in Bulgaria, not how to make it better. Because the way to live better in Bulgaria is to work together with the OTHERS, and to work with them we must have our own, but common project for future…
A little civil association from a little settlement nearby Sofia, succeeded through a referendum to announce that it objects to go on living near a radioactive dung-hill.
A few organizations, associations, groups, and just citizens got over their differences, joined their efforts and created the coalition For the Nature
There are even more examples. What is nice, is that they are much more that we can even imagine. What is bad is that these people fairly know each other and this makes them weak and vulnerable. They miss a tribune, a meeting place, a room to share their experience, to talk about their problems and successes, to pass their message.
We decided PLACE FOR PUTURE to be this place. A place where students, lecturers, experts, lovers of nature, or just people with bright, active position, could meet each other. A place where good examples become visible. A place where, everyone, who is interested, can find information, learn something and pass it to the others, that way expanding the network of aware and active people.
We plan this place to settle in the university area, and to become a centre of information, discussions, debates, a tribune for the good practices, which medias hardly, rarely and tendentiously do (not) reflect. PLACE FOR FUTURE already finds its place in the educational programs of the departments, faculties, universities.
PLACE FOR FUTURE is a community of joint people, for whom the professional competency complements the civil expression, and the civil position creates bright personalities.
Our aim is to show, that among us there are people, living in the present, but creating future by their actions. People, who do not wait for the Good to come, but are happy with the timely, even small, actions. This way we will demonstrate that public society and civil activity in Bulgaria are not only a good wish, something living in politicos’ fantasies, but a real state.
We wish to make the island of public community a significant archipelago.
And my personal wish is to convince my students and colleagues to join this project, in order to extend its message and pass it like a baton…
There is an idea of succession, stability, development…
There is an idea of Future…
Arch. Martin Mikush
Total freezing of the central parts of the city, liberal urban outskirts, high-tech global modal transport- all of them in inviolable nature.
Vision
I believe this vision is feasible! It’s a matter of will and considered decision which scenario of progress to choose. I would leave the apocalyptic pictures to the literacy practices. The time for experiments with our common home is over. What is left is to look at the bottom of the one. At the bottom of life: To be together in our dreams, to keep moving, but carefully.
Julia Naskova’s vision
I wish our project, which definitely is pilot and innovative as a spirit and conception, to become a stable center of ideas, strategies, plans, places, and people, and mainly to help the stable development in places, which are already affected or are going to be affected by Bulgarian greed for short-term profits. By the proper people, and events, and purposive synergy to present the project and to draw as many as possible concerned people in it. To make other people take interest, to make them consider and plan their own life in another way, starting to account and counteract the factors pollution, noise, ugly, unsystematic, uncomfortable housing development, and pulling down. To start thinking and practically acting for the sustainable development in their home, neighborhood, town, country… To clear the environment protection and the green idea from the collected clichés, and the exhaustion of the inaction of institutions, with impudent, unscrupulous leaders in their head, and to infuse new ideas and strategies for the work with people and reaction against Bulgarian brains and criminal carelessness. I imagine, that the people, involved in this project, will have created AN IDEA, much as active citizens, responsible for their and the next generations’ life and progress.
I wish our target group to start realizing, for example, that the Black Sea coast belongs to every Bulgarian, it is unique, and it is only a part of the unique places in our country. The stable and normal progress of the Black Sea coast is a benefit of every Bulgarian, not only during their holiday. This applies to every other part of the nature in Bulgaria.
I wish the result of this project, after a year, to be a network of students, aiming sustainable development of the environment and the protection of nature. We will call them THINK TANK. And, after the project, they will start to plan their life according to the principles of the sustainable development, and to work in universities, awakening their colleagues and lecturers. They will start working in the local society, in their neighborhood, among their relatives, acquaintances, friends. They will pass their experience to a wide range of people, take part in other events, and initiate events by themselves.
In my view, in the project we should stake on the provocation, the challenge, the personal example, the non-traditional presentation of ideas and conceptions, and the individual approach. Apart from the ordinary, conventional presentations, meetings, discussions and round-table discussions, to provoke our target group with something, which after being visually presented to them, make them think the whole day…
The main idea of PLACE FOR FUTURE is TRAINING, INFORMATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL.
But I wish this project TO BE REMEMBERED AND USED as a successful, working model.
Georgi Stefanov
It was in the summer of 2007: a hot, very hot summer, as well for the weather, as for the emotions of the young, protesting people, in the streets, defending the nature, our nature, Bulgarian nature, of which all of us are so proud, but hurried in everyday works, we have forgotten about its uniqueness.
Probably most of the spectators on the sidewalks and in the cars were very interested in what these young people wanted. For protests for higher wages or pensions, were common events, but these young people wanted something else: to have a future, and an opportunity to ensure their children at least with what they had had- a sip of fresh air, clean mountain water, and places, that can take your breath away…
Then, in the heat of the big city, on a meeting for a mug of beer, came the idea for the project “PLACE FOR FUTURE”. Tired of all the things happening around us, the total neglecting of laws, and the way we rapidly lose our unique nature, Petar and Radi were looking for followers, together with whom to realize the idea of “PLACE FOR FUTURE”.
For me, the idea was clear and absolutely timely. Only a few years earlier, in the beginning of the millennium, the problems were much less, but the people working in the sphere of environment protection also were a few dozens. I can definitely say that things are much different now.
Today there is a new generation of people. People, who realize that a lot of things depend on them, that they can change their future, and that a false step today, would surely lead to difficulties tomorrow. We rely exactly on people like these, people with public-spirited conscience, people with ideas, responsible to the up-coming generations, people who have realized where humanity goes, and the fatal consequences we can come to, if we do not take measures, NOW AND IMMEDIATELY.
My personal view coincide the whole conception of the project. The aim of PLACE FOR FUTURE is to unite the liberty-loving people, with “unaffected souls”, who have a vision of the important things in our existence, and in the same time to help each other. There are a lot of these people in the university circles, and this is why the main field of activity is right there. These young active people are tomorrow’s heralds of the idea of the new modern future.
PLACE FOR FUTURE is a project, which aims to unite and help all these active students and citizens, who, in certain moments, have been misunderstood by their colleagues, friends, and relatives. PLACE FOR FUTURE is just the field of activity and enriching ourselves with others’ ideas.
PLACE FOR FUTURE has one main aim – to create a premise for a better future, with many happy people and less problems.
Petar Kanev
PLACE WITHOUT FUTURE?
I don’t know how to name, what happens with everything alive- souls, people, animals, nature- nowadays, here in Bulgaria, especially on the Black Sea coast. Chalga-Pop folk music, kitsch, ignorance, criminality, corruption – these words are weak, trite and insufficient to describe the disgusting reality we are sinking in. I think the most accurate metaphor is slops.
The slops gradually flood everything and everyone – words, people, Medias, towns, seas, and mountains. The least we can do is to state freely and clearly, that we do not want it! And this won’t be a little act, if we do it all the possible ways, by all the possible means – however and whenever everyone can, but what is most important – uninterruptedly and constantly, really all of us. I will start with a small act against the slops – something inmost. It is also a dedication to all the people, who made something despite the despair, the misery, the tiredness, the personal obligations, and the problems, and despite the slops.
I
wrote this text in the heat of the campaign „Save Irakli” in summer
2006. Since then my pessimism and despair become paler with every little
thing against the slops, I do daily. This is the result, when someone
makes something little every day, and in the little things originates a
community of people, a common spirit, a common mood, a moving from one
place to another…
PLACE FOR FUTURE
Not a dream, not a project, not a Utopia. A real existing place, where a lot of little revolutions happen… They start inside you, inside your head, inside your body, and your mind – and they come outside you, for example, because you are not alone, and ferry from one to another like a chain reaction, like the energy through the neurons.
When, a few years ago, the coincidence of circumstances throw me in a concrete problem, several consecutive lightening flashed across my mind:
It is not possible a nightmare like this to happen!
It is not possible such dedicated, worthy people to exist nowadays! Why I haven’t heard of them?
It is impossible these people to be so many! I have never imagined they exist, and they have been around us all the time! They are not seen in the Medias, nobody knows about them, who could imagine there exists a civil movement in our country?
How will I look upon myself, if I do not support these people somehow?
We are not alone!
Oh, what can happen! There is a magic, a good sorcery, the wonder is with us!
This movement is like the life, once entered it, the only way back is a suicide…
In a few years the PLACE FOR FUTURE sprouted and grew up. It needs a lot of cares, and we will probably not see the product of it. The care of it- this is the gift we get. And we need the place for future, because it can happen even on a place without future. And if the solidarity, active civil position, social connection among people are still a forgotten memory from the distant past for us, I think this can change, as we start from the beginning like pioneers, today- not tomorrow, here- not anywhere else. A lot of little daily examples, sustainable and constant, create the real communities of people, society, culture, politics, and development. Do they still make sense? Only they make sense. The sense of the mantra of sustainable development.
Everything started from the emotions and in their shock new horizons gradually spread out – the necessity of more common sense, more awareness, and more light. And the place where this can happen is the place where people learn and develop. A place where future sprouts is the education. What will this future be depends on each of us.
We often hear that every effort is useless, except from the effort to regularize your own life at the expense of the others, that there are no common values, but only objective occurrences. One common value however is inside us – the preservation of life. To defeat life means to be dead.
I am happy we have succeeded so far, and I can repeat my one-time words.
I dedicate this project to all the people, who made something despite the despair, the misery, the tiredness, the personal obligations, and the problems, and despite the slops.
Radosveta Krestanova - presentation at Nottingham University
PRESENTATION NOTTINGHAM
In order to understand the selection of the topic and its importance, a brief excursus into the risen and development of the environmental movement in Bulgaria is necessary.
Therefore, I would like to present some of the most considerable stages in the evolution of the new environmental movement in Bulgaria.
Firstly I would label this movement as “new”, as in the end of 80ies of previous century Bulgaria already experienced the first so-called green wave, which was grounded in the dissident protests in the end of the totalitarian regime.
I. THE CASES
1. Save Irakli Campaign
The first considerable civic mobilisation was been related to Irakli[1] - a quite picturesque and untouched place, one of the last nine places that has evaded the Black Sea saeside urbanization.
Save Irakli Campaign has been ofircially launched in the spring of 2006 because of the investment plans of some companies /group of investors, associated with a offshore Swiss company founded in Bulgaria, to develop the area by building hotels, despite the place’s status – half of it is protected by law and is a potential NATURA 2000 site. The people from Save Irakli Campaign managed in due time to hold various activities and to attract enormous public support. Only within a year the citizen group evolved in national campaign, including people from many big towns in Bulgaria. Famous Bulgarian actors, film directors and intellectuals supprted the environmentalists. The groups’ activities are specific – they use non- conventional approaches, vision, layout and striking messages, as you can see on these photos.
Here you can see two of the most successful actions:
- The procession of the natural mad capes, held in February 2007. The message was that normal people, who are aware of the real dangers and issues, are been taken as MAD CAPES, and so they turn into endangered species, as they do demand that their rights shoud be protected and they should be treated in accordance to the law of species in danger
- The second event called The Longest kiss in the entire history of st. Valenitine’s Day, and in the hole green movements history or A Kiss for Irakly, summoned in February 14th 2008 hundreds of enamoured activists in front of National Theater in Sofia.
The Campaigns’ activites are not organized solely on the base of holding effective direct actions although they do attract a considerable public support. The campaign became visible at a national and european level due to active dialogue with the relevant institutions, strongly lobbying on executive and judicial authorities, organizing requests and petitions and filing court lawsuits.
On January 23, 2007, the environmentalists handed in at the National Assembly of Bulgaria 50 000 signatures petition of Bulgarian and foreign citizens standing out for defending Irakli and the whole Black Sea coastline. The same petition was been officially submitted in in the European Parliament as a proof for the considerable public concern of the Bulgarians for the Black Sea coastline’s hyper building.
The second considerable civic campaign was named Save Strandja [2].
Strandja mountain is situated in the south eastern part of Bulgaria, has unique flora, fauna and landscape and is listed among the five EU first priority protected sites in South- Eastern Europe. Strandja has a statute of natural park. The campaign started quite spontaneously and evolved really fast. The reason for initiating it was the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court to abolish the , legal statute of the park. At the back of this absurd decision were the economic concerns of CRASH 2000 investment company and pressure of the local authorities. CRASH 2000 erected this hotel and tries to legalize it.
“Save Strandja campaign” was the most rapidly evolving and most effective of all held so far. The explanation for this success are related with the new technologies, permitting successive and permanent spreading out of the news – the ones who have been informed messaged sms and emails to their acquaintances, upload and post the info on all websites and blogs which engandred a spontaneous reactions. Few hours later all these people that has been in the current of the news of the court’s decision met and gathered at two of the focal places in the capital. Unofficially they have been between 1000 and 2000. Most part of them did not know each other and decided just in time how to act out without scenario. By stepping out on the roads and completely blocking the traffic /and virtually obstructing by sitting-in one of the major boulevards/. The police accused all of breaching the peace and arrested about 20 people some of them minor.
Nevertheless the result was quite clear. By this action /called flash mob/ the Campaign hit the news for the day. The events was broadly covered by all media in Bulgaria and many media in abroad. The public largely supported the protesters. This have been strongly backed up by the sociological agencies and their polls– According to NCAPO (National Center for Analysis of the Public Opinion) in July 2007 77 percent of the Bulgarian citizens did support the Campaign, exceeding the support of teachers, pensionners and taxi drivers, held almost at the same time. Consequently, only two weeks later due to the strong public pressure the Parliament invalidated its Act, thus restoring the previous statute of the Park.
The next campaign is NATURA 2000[3]
The reason of its emergence was been provoked again by some senior decision – this time of the Council of Ministers– to reduce the Bulgarian protected areas in NATURA 2000 Network from 34 to 18 per cent.
In the part that has been dropped out there are places that every Bulgarian cherishes and loves to visit and relax by – these are one of the most picturesque, lovely and stunning places at the Black sea coast and up in the mountains. The official reason was that the scope’s borders had to be explicitly defined, and the non- official – grey sphere economic concerns together with political authority’s representation.
The campaign has been run without break for 8 months by peaceful sit in protests each Thursday/the day for the ordinary Council of Ministers’ session/ in front of the building of the headquarters of the Council of Ministers. Environmentalists continually diversify repertories of their sit-ins – each event was been held thematically and follows its own scenario such as – gathering coins for paying the future fines imposed by EU, “Cotton ear – caps” protest - showing the lack of dialogue between the protesters and the state institutions, masquerade event, at which there’s a transgression of sexes’ roles – men are women and vice versa – to demonstrate that noting goes normal in the country, but things are inverted and insane.
The output was successful: the Council of Ministers decided to recuperate a considerable part of the territories. Notice that this is due not only because of all protests, but because of a combination of tremendous exterior lobbying and permanent pressure from inside - by sending requests and petitions, elaborating expert stands and constant warnings to the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The last campaign that I will present / most current one/ is Save Rila Campaign.
Rila is maybe the most known Bulgarian mountain range - a mythical place and mysterious centre of the esoteric White Brotherhood Movement, established in the end of the 19th century by the Bulgarian Peter Danov – The Teacher. The mountain nowadays still attracts not only fans of еxtreme sports but people with different spiritual needs, men with certain spiritual inclination. Rila Crew was initiated again on the same basis stated already – a decision for extension of existing ski racing tracks by violating and destroying some protected territories, hyper building and concreting the places all over. The construction and the building of an enormous ski resort is pending and the construction as well of artificial eighth lake near the famous 7 Rila lakes, that will be tooled up with synthetic snow.
For quite a short time, this team consisted mainly of university students and young experts won great public support not only in Bulgaria but also from abroad. A clear evidence is the France- Rila Campaign, initiated by French citizen, who works on European level due to the activity of a Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Macedonian , Belgium and French citizens.
The united endeavours of Rila crew and Rila – France Campaign put the campaign in the agenda of the European Commission and the European Parliament. In the scope of the Campaign’s activities, there are few court lawsuits, petitions and written requests, meetings with representatives of the European Commission. Recently a group of euro-commissioners visited Rila on the ground of many complaints of Citizens for Saving Rila for violating many national and European laws. The considerable public support for the campaign is obvious by public petition for Saving Rila which collected 150 000 (hundred fifty thousand) signatures.
At the end of 2006, some of these citizen groups and campaigns merged into the most outstanding ecological and environmental NGOs and founded ForTheNature Coalition. This Coalition is actually the most sustainable and considerable accomplishment of Bulgarian civil environmental movement and can be regarded as an essential social and political factor. The structure is not homogeneous - citizen groups as Rila Crew, leagued together with civil associations even with NGOs around a particular problematic issue. The coalition does not have a legal status and does make solutions based on the difficult democratic consensus principle. The organization is been managed on horizontal principle and re-creates network characteristic to the smaller civic groups and initiatives.
Last but not least I would like to point out that in the last years in Bulgaria there’s a considerable expansion of local initiatives and foundation of local lobby citizen groups and active initiative committees at places where there’s a need for deciding particular issues in given district, a metropolitan area or a community.
Just an example – There is a network of initiative committees within Sofia metropolitan, initiated and evolving because of waste disposal crisis of the city.
________________________________
[1] initiated by a group of citizens, self-organized in defence of one of the last preserved sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The citizens from Save Irakli group have been actively involved in almost all actions in protection of Bulgarian nature in the past years, as their activities had been supported by the most important nature conservation organizations in Bulgaria
Find further information at: www.daspasimirakli.com.
[2] Find further information at: http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Science_And_Nature/Material/strandjaprotest.htm
[3] For more information see http://www.natura2000bg.org/natura/eng/index1.php
Guardian: Architecture: Bulgarian eco town ‘the biggest mistake of Norman Foster’s career’, say protesters
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/14/greenbuilding.climatechange
· ‘Green’ resort threatens last area of unspoilt coast
· Design is sympathetic to habitats, architect says
Kate Connolly in Karadere beach
The Guardian, Monday July 14, 2008
Article history
An artist’s impression of the resort, which is designed to provide carbon-neutral living for 15,000 people
An hour-long stroll through an oak forest, past clusters of blackberries, St John’s wort, olive trees and butterflies, ends with the rewarding sight of soft, white sands and gently breaking waves.
On Karadere beach, in north-east Bulgaria, a smattering of families have set up camp for the summer, as they have done for years. But this year the happy-go-lucky mood has been punctured by fears that the small corner of paradise is under imminent threat by Bulgaria’s first carbon-neutral resort.
Having been considered ripe for development since the collapse of communism 19 years ago, the area is set to be turned into a luxury €1bn (£780m) settlement. Dubbed the Black Sea Gardens, it will include five new hill towns, artificial lakes, a marina and an extensive leisure area and will be self-sustaining, thanks to biomass power and construction from local, natural resources, say the developers.
But the 540-acre (219-hectare) development, spearheaded by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, has enraged Bulgaria’s growing band of ecologists.
They say it will destroy the Black Sea coast’s last remaining virgin stretches of beach and will have a devastating effect on the rich biodiversity of an area which has environmental protection status under the EU’s Natura 2000 programme, which aims to protect endangered species and habitats.
But the Bulgarian government’s failure to enact regulations outlawing extensive developments in such areas has allowed coastal constructions to go ahead almost unhindered. Now there is hardly a stretch of the country’s 220-mile coastline untouched by overdeveloped resorts. Locals are often restricted from accessing beaches whose entrances are flanked by security guards.
Construction of the Black Sea Gardens project, which Foster and Partner’s website describes as “a series of car-free hill towns in an unspoilt setting of oak forests, meadows and river gorges”, is due to start next year. Under the plans, 15,000 inhabitants of Sky Village, Wilderness Village, Meadow Village, Cape Village and Sea Village will be encouraged to leave their cars outside the settlements and go by foot, or use pools of electric cars and shuttle buses instead.
Sky is the first village due to be built, with the backing of a British-Bulgarian investment group. US, Russian and Saudi Arabian investors have expressed an interest in the other hill towns, according to the Bulgarian co-architects, Projects Ltd, which describes the resort as having something for every holidaymaker - “from sportish Club Med types to more contemplative, sleepy types”.
Foster and Partners did not provide anyone to talk to the Guardian, but in a press release it stressed that the resort is designed to blend in with its environment. “The residential clusters are tightly packed and integrated into the contours of the landscape, preserving the majority of its site as virgin terrain,” it read.
Detractors say while the plans might be of a much higher standard than the depressing array of substandard constructions hugging the Black Sea, the sheer scale of the resort will do lasting damage to the natural habitat. The settlements will eat into untouched oak forests, and the invasion of thousands of people and new roads will disturb one of Europe’s major migratory routes for millions of birds, known as via pontica, they say.
“I ask myself whether Norman Foster really knows what he’s getting himself in to,” said Todor Karastoyanov, a musician and protester against the project who frequents the beach and married his wife, Boriana, there last summer.
“We want to try to stop him from making the biggest mistake of his career by building here, because it’s immoral and he might not know that.”
Biliana Voutchkova, a concert violinist holidaying on Karadere beach with her family, as she has done since her childhood, said: “This has been a magnet for those wishing to spend time away from civilisation and to enjoy nature, but soon it will be lost forever and we’ll only realise the consequences once it’s too late.” Dimiter Georgiev, an ornithologist from nearby Varna, said the habitats of numerous species would be “directly disturbed and destroyed by this construction”, including those of otters, butterflies, woodpeckers, honey buzzards, lesser spotted eagles and red-backed shrikes. “We know from experience that these species don’t move elsewhere, they just disappear,” he said, citing the demise of several species of lark, shrike and bunting in areas given over to resort developments.
“We’re not against mass tourism but it should be planned in a proper way, with areas set aside for wildlife to breed. But the problem is so much of the coastal areas have been developed, there’s now hardly any space left, which means the ecosystem’s resilience is greatly weakened, so any new site does not have the moral right to call itself ‘eco’.”
Foster has yet to visit the site, but he has been involved in discussions between the British and Bulgarian teams, according to Georgi Stanishev, the director of Projects Ltd. Stanishev, brother of Bulgaria’s prime minister Sergei Stanishev, insisted that Black Sea Gardens was environmentally ethical and was breaking no laws.
“What we as the Bulgarian team of architects and Foster and Partners are doing is absolutely adequate to the legislation and the laws of this country,” he said, adding that the construction would be sympathetic to its surroundings.
The project was conceived as an antidote to the over-development along the rest of the Black Sea coastline, he said.
Opponents say they will not let the project go ahead without a fight.
“We’re planning to hold protests in Sofia, as well as concerts,’ said Nadezhda Miksimova, of the campaign group For the Nature. “And we will set up a protest camp on the beach itself.”
For 2007 the generated revenue of Shtastlivetza Association is solely from membership fees that amounts to 840 BGN. The implementation of all of the abovementioned activities is co-funded and supported of environmental NGOs, civil initiatives, and Sofia’s New Bulgarian University and University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG)’s Departments.
For the Nature Coalition of Civil and Environmental Organizations
Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT)
Centre for Environmental Information and Education (CEIE)
Municipal Council at the Municipality of Chiprovtsi
Several Departments at New Bulgarian University
Balkani Wildlife Society
UNECO University Club, Sofia University
WWF: Danube-Carpathian Programme
Za Zemiata Environmental Association
Department of Cultural Studies at the Southwestern University Neofit Rilski
Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
Faculty of Philosophy at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Department of Cultural Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Directorate of Vitosha Nature Park
Team
CORE TEAM:
Petar Kanev - leader of the project “Place for future”
Civic activity: member of the Board of Managers of the Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association
Occupation: research fellow at the Institute for Philosophical Research, Bulgarian Academy of Science
Academic qualifications: Master of Cultural Studies (Sofia University, 1999), Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Anthropology and Religious Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Science)
Professional and non-professional experience:
Club for Literature and Philosophy “IDIOT” (1995-2003); leader of
project “Bulgarian Orthodox Priests and Parishes in the Context of the
Evolution of of Civil Society in Southeastern Europe
”
(2003-2005); leader of the Initiative Committee for Cleanness and
Legality’s project “Civic Advocacy at the Sofia Municipality Council for
Solving the Waste Management Crisis in Sofia”; participant in project
“Does a Bulgarian Ethnic Model Exist?” under the Fund for Scientific
Research at the Ministry of Education and Science (2006-2010), part-time
lecturer at the Theory and History of Culture Department at the Kliment
Ohridski Sofia University
Two words: more light
Contact: petardkanev@gmail.com, 0897994622
As. Radosveta Krestanova – coordinator at New Bulgarian University (NBU)
Occupation: lecturer, department Political Science in French language, NBU
Academic qualifications:
Master of French Philology, specialization – translation; Assistant in
French Language for Political Scientists; PhD student in Political
Science at NBU and the University of Burgundy at Dijon, France
Professional and non-professional experience: Studio for Feature Films “Vreme”, Bulgarian National Radio, Editor’s office for Bulgarians abroad, Club for Literature and Philosophy “IDIOT” (1995-2003),
Publishing House “Arges”, Publishing House “Kama” , “Europe” schools,
French Institute, Frankophone Agency, museum “Earth and Man”, and many
other adventures…
Two words: surrealist in action
For contact: radosvetakk in gmail.com, 0894670051
Martin Mikush – coordinator
Georgi Stefanov – coordinator
Yuliana Naskova – coordinator
Kalin Nenov – coordinator of the virtual campaign of Place for Future, translator, editor
Civic activity
:
core member of the Human Library Foundation, creator and coordinator of
MREDJAN (a civic action network), participant in “Ecological and
practical” (a Bulgarian educational website)
Civic experience:
volunteer in Green Balkans, For the Earth (Za Zemiata), For the Nature;
participant in over 500 international environmental electronic
campaigns; “specializes” in forest protection, climate change, and the
role of personal choices
Occupation: translator, student
Academic qualifications:
BA in English Language and Culture at NBU; currently doing a Master’s
degree in Translation, again at NBU – European masters in translation
also there.
Professional and non-professional experience:
here (in Bulgarian only)
Two words: connect, holism
Contact: kalin.nenov in gmail.com
Gabriela Petrova – intern, assistant coordinator of the virtual campaign of Place for Future
Occupation: student
Civic activity: core member of the Human Library Foundation, volunteer at For the Nature coalition
Academic qualifications: doing a BA in Cultural Studies at Kliment Ohridski Sofia University
Two words: love, hug
Contact: slanchevka in gmail.com
Neli Stankova – accountant of the project
Lyudmila Ivanova - documentation manager
Gergana Kosturkova – intern, coordinator for Sofia University and University Club for Ecology and Sustainable Development UNECO
Occupation: student at Sofia University, doing BA in International Relations
Civic activity
: active member of UNECO; member of the Board of the Managers of Association “AMIGO” - Active Youth Initiatives for Civil Society; volunteer-mentor at Association “Volunteers Bulgaria”
Academic qualifications: BA in Cultural Studies at Sofia University
Two words: care, smile
Contact: gergana.kosturkova in gmail.com
Violeta Krusteva – intern, assistant coordinator
TEAM FOR COORDINATION WITH PARTNERS
Yordanka Dineva
(Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation) - coordinator with coalition of
civil campaigns and nature-conservation organizations “For the Nature
Nadezhda Maksimova - coordinator with coalition of civil campaigns and nature-conservation organizations “For the Nature”
Rostislav Kandilarov - coordinator of Civic Forum for Sofia
Ivan Popov - Ivo - coordinator at Cinema, Advertising and Show Business department at NBU, coordinator for the NBU Student Council
Alexander Kodzhabashev - legal consultant on issues of environmental law and civic participation
Our achievments
[lang_bg]
Evaluation
Of the Organizational Development and the Project Implementation of the Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association
Conducted in August, 2009
By Hermina Emiryan
A. Evaluation report
This
evaluation was conducted with the purpose to provide the provide CEE
Trust with an external opinion on the implementation and impact of the “A Place
for Future”, a CEE Trust funded project including financial
expenditures and organizational assessment. Its purpose was also to
provide the CEE Trust with recommendations on what could be improved in
the future in order to maximize the impact of the grant scheme in Bulgaria.
The operational tools used to build the methodology for this assessment included:
- Review of all project related documentation (proposals, reports, monitoring reports, memos etc)
- Review of all financial documentation related to the projects
- Review of all periodicals – newsletters, reports, reviews and handbooks created within the project as well as films
- Review of all websites and forums related to the projects
- Review of media exposure materials
- A set of interviews with project teams, organization boards, beneficiaries, partner organizations.
Shtastlivetsa
is a non for profit entity registered in June 2006 and governed by a
Managing Board and a Head of the Managing Board. It has been created as a
spontaneous civic initiative to offer solutions to some of the problems
in the capital. The Managing Board consists of three people one of which also serves as the Executive Director (Petar Kanev).
The
Association performs activities in public benefit targeted towards
increase of civic control on the work and decision making process of
government (national and local); participation in forming and
implementing decisions. According to the organization bylaws to achieve
their goals the Association can: establish contacts with governmental
and non-governmental organizations; produce publications, organize and
participate in meetings, marches, protests and other authorized by the
law events; organize seminars, conferences, round tables; organizing
performances, art shows, literature reading, happenings etc. The main
idea behind the creation of the organization is to bring together
citizens from different professional and social backgrounds to jointly
act on issues of importance to society. It shares the values and
practices of civic participation as well as the awareness for the need
for civic education and environmental protection.
The
Association has approached the CEE Trust for support in late 2006, when
the initiative has been discussed as an idea and continued through the
year until the project was contracted. The initial idea has been for a
three year time frame and has had a different larger scale budget. In
the process of discussion the project was decreased in terms of
longitude (one year) and budget with the suggestion that the
organization tries to gain some experience through its project
activities and then think about its further institutional and program
development.
The project under review is BG_X 2007_45- “A Place for Future” implemented by Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association. The period of implementation is September 1, 2008 – September 1, 2009 (upon approval from CEE Trust the project will be prolonged until September 30, 2009).
CEE Trust granted the total amount of USD 74,154 for the purposes of
this project. In brief the goals and objectives of the project are:
ü Informing the academic milieu of the existing civil initiatives for environmental conservation and sustainable development
ü Students’ and professors’ commitment to support these civil initiatives
ü Creating an academic space for ideas and experience sharing and exchange
ü Encouraging
and stimulating the network of already existing active university and
inter-university student groups or initiatives tackling with various
current environmental protection and sustainable development issues
ü Improving civil initiatives’ capacity via sharing effective practices and expert support by professors and NGO experts.
ü Integration
of the core Project’s sustainable development concepts and practices
into the students’ curricula and professors’ schedules as internships
and traineeships
3. Findings on the implementation and impact of projects
The
project in itself is unique – the combination of the activities and the
aim to bring together institutions that have a very different approach
and background, putting together a team of diverse professionals etc.
This uniqueness has proved to be a challenge but also the added value of
this project. The initiative has developed and widened a network of
NGOs, academia and students who work on environmental issues and share
the sustainable development values and philosophy;
Goals and objectives
- The success of this project lies in the shared vision and goals –
everyone involved in the project no matter of their background has a
mutual understanding of the problems, the goals and the priorities. This
joint understanding is the main solution to all of the challenges the
team faced during the project.
Project team and partnerships
- A strong element of the project is the team. These are professionals
in different fields (ecologist, architect, philosopher, political
scientist, cultural scientist etc.) and the different points of view and
experiences enrich the communication and the implementation of the
project. There are a few strong points that I would like to put the
attention to. First, it’s a new organization and the energy of a newly
established entity is very much there. Secondly, being a new
organization the team has a new vision, fresh take on the issues,
different approach. They experiment, try new things and get less
discouraged compared to their colleagues who are in the field for the
past decade (this was also recognized by their slightly more experienced
fellow NGO colleagues). Third – there is a very strong transfer of
skills component in the team. The core team is open to learn new things
and consult with older organizations on one side. On the other side the
team manages to attract new people into the organization and train them
in a way that at the end of the day they can delegate activities and
responsibilities to these new team members. Only within the one year of
the project there are several new members of the Association and several
new team members. Not only that – the organization is very transparent
and open – they share theirs experience with the fellow NGO colleagues.
Of course as a new team with such diverse backgrounds there has been a
period of adaptation and team building for the people working on the
project. The shortness of the project hasn’t allowed the team to
actually build its capacity and so there have been situations where
tension was observed between different team members. That has been
overcome in time and the team now works well. One of the things that was
shared several times was that after the recapitulation of the project
within the team there has to be a discussion opened about how the organization continues and what each person’s role would be.
Elaborating
on what was said above about the new approach and the energy of the new
organization it is crucial to point out that there is really a lot of
enthusiasm and energy. This is of course something positive, but perhaps
at times that energy and the huge amount of ideas that people have and
brainstorm in the organization are pulling the small resources into too
many different directions (ecological, architectural, community
development, cultural, political views), so it is very important that
the organization has well established priorities for the next few years
and concentrates on those as well as the building of its institutional
capacity, in order to avoid a moment when people would loose interest
and motivation. The momentum and energy has to be kept alive and in
order to do that, there has to be some sort of a framework developed to
help the organization mainstream its energy and resources into the right
direction.
Outreach -
The outreach component of the project is strong. The organization is
transparent, open and searching for feedback. The website created and
maintained within the project is informative and contains a lot of
information (perhaps sometimes you need to look for what you are looking
for in depth, because there is so much different information
available). All the media appearances are available for people to read
and see (with the exception of the TV shows); there is a comprehensive
calendar with events that will take place as well as an archive of the
events that have taken place already. Through the website there are
several students who signed to participate in the project without being
students in one of the two partner universities – one from another town
of Bulgaria and one from outside Bulgaria.
There are mailing lists which help the communication between all
participants in the project (students, Universities and Departments) and
the “For the Nature” network (Open Society Institute, Sofia implemented and CEE Trust funded initiative), so everyone is well informed about the developments and the activities. In
an effort to improve its outreach and PR component the organization
assigned the students from the Mass Communication Department in New Bulgarian University
to assess their outreach work. According to the assessment, the
organization uses the “inexpensive”, conventional means of promotion and
communication – the website, posters and brochures and mailing lists
are all good, but the students suggested more outreach in the printed
media as well as paid PR instruments. In this line of thought the media
interest has been high according to what can be read on the website.
There has been good communication with VTV and the Bulgarian National
Radio as well as a few publications in Dnevnik daily. The challenge here
is that this communication style is basically closed within the network
and the danger might be that it stays there informing only limited
groups of people leaving out people who might potentially be interested
and involved. Given that this is such a unique organization and team of
experts from different fields and backgrounds a suggestion here might be
the development of a communication strategy that might be implemented
by intern students from the universities who are in the mass
communication and public relations fields.
Strengths and weaknesses of the project implementation
- The fact that the project aimed (and succeeded) to bring the students
out of the classrooms and show them the issues first hand, put them on
the field is a precious aspect of the project. All three sides –
students, NGOs and academia pointed this out. In general more than 80
people have participated in the travel seminars and over 10 people had
the chance to do internships in several NGOs.
Most
of the activities planned within the project have taken place. Some
aspects of the project did not turn out as originally anticipated, but
others have worked out beyond the planned activities (number of lectures
and seminars is way over the planned amount). In any case the fact that
some of the planned things did not occur didn’t affect the impact and
the results of the project. An example of something that didn’t happen
is the partnership with the University of Architecture,
due to very heavy and bureaucratic discussions and lack of interest on
the side of the academic institution. Other partnerships have been
initiated though and will be further developed in the future – the Veliko Turnovo University and the University of National and World Economy in Sofia.
Partnership with the University in Blagoevgrad did not occur as
planned, but very good relations and partnerships were developed with
the Municipality of Chprotvsi,
where part of the travel seminars took place. The big results of the
project besides the established network of people and organizations are
the Masters program started in the NBU as well as the free chosen course
at the Sofia University
and the field practices approved by the academic management boards of
these academic institutions. This means that the project is sustainable
and will go beyond the CEE Trust funding. In fact not one person from
the interviewed did talk about an “end” of the project – the general
consensus is that the project will continue one way or another and
building on the achievements so far will offer new developments,
activities and partnerships. However so far the team has not had any
discussions as to what exactly they plan to do and what are the next
steps.
One
thing that kept coming out as an obstacle for the team has been the
lack of physical space where the Association team members can meet and
works from. To my understanding that has challenged their self
identification as a team and organization in one way or another. It has
also been a challenge given that there isn’t just one place where all of
the institutional and project memory is, all the documentation and the
technology – these were spread and that has caused some uncomfortable
situations. What made and interesting finding is that the people who
worked in the project team did not identify themselves as the team of
the Shtastlivetsa Associations, rather that the project team for Place
for Future. That perhaps has to do with the lack of office,
but also because of the fact that it is a new organization which has
not yet fully established its institutional capacity.
One
of the challenges the team faced during the project was related to the
elections and was mentioned by almost every single interviewee. It had
to do with the fact that the Green party participated in the national
elections in the summer of 2009 and many of the activists of the project
and the network were involved with it. At some point the debate within
the organization was the project vs. the party and that debate has
brought some of the tensions in the project team. Upon many discussions
and an internal agreement (see organizational assessment chapter of this
evaluation) however the project and the organization did not support
officially the party and stayed behind during the election concentrating
on the project work. What makes an interesting observation
is that despite the heated discussions and the important moment for the
organization, it managed to keep the main vision and goal into mind and
this has not affected people’s motivation and the positive results of
the project.
Risk management
– As mentioned above, some of the activities planned in the project
have not happened the way they were planned. When consulted in the
project proposal, some of the risks have been predicted and identified
prior. In general there hasn’t been a specific plan on how to overcome
the risks and deal with them. The strategies have been communicated at
the time and appropriate strategies have been planned to deal with the
problems. Generally the team has done a good job dealing with the
situations that have occurred and the project impact has not been
affected in any way.
CEE Trust communication
- Last but not least the work and communication with the CEE Trust is
assessed to be good and productive. The flexibility of the procedures
and the willingness and openness for consultations is appreciated
highly. The only thing that was mentioned was that the organization
expects more visible support from the Trust, namely more presence at the
events organized by the Association as well as written confirmations to
the questions and requests filed to the CEE Trust office (permission to
prolong the project, permission to use the Resource Fund to pay some of
the interns etc.). The grantee needs the CEE Trust to be more visible
in their work. Other than that, the CEE Trust is mentioned in all
documents and the donor logo is present on every material, publication,
brochure or poster created through the project including the website.
What’s next
- A few words on what is next in terms of how the project will continue
and what are the possible directions according to the interviewees. As
mentioned above no one talks about an end of the project and there are
several ideas on what to do next and how to build on the experience
gained here and promote new ideas as well. One idea is to diversify the
network going to new universities and perhaps also schools. Keeping the
traineeships and internships is something that is considered success and
a definite must in the future. Expanding the themes and issues looked
through the philosophy of sustainable development is something
considered too – adding cultural heritage into the picture not only
framing the project in the environmental field. Work more in the municipality of Sofia, also expanding to the national level. These and other things are to be discussed after the end of this project.
4. Conclusions of the evaluation
One
of the main conclusions of this evaluation is that the project has been
a success. It has managed to bring NGOs, academia and students together
and bridge them so that exchange of knowledge and experience happens in
the most productive way and the principles and philosophy of
sustainable development are distributed, discussed and implemented.
The
fact that the CEE Trust suggested for the project to be shorter and
smaller scale (from 3 to 1 years) was a good decision both financially
and in terms of the time frame. This has been very healthy for the
organization and is also being recognized by the team members, although
it has been somewhat of a disappointment for them in the beginning. It
has given the opportunity to the team to spread their imagination and
energy to putting the basics together and achieving results that they
could build on in the future in order to create bigger and better
things.
5. Lessons to be learned by the CEE Trust/recommendations for further projects in Bulgaria
As
a result of this evaluation I strongly suggest that the CEE Trust
considers the Shtastlivetsa Association for further funding, given that
they provide with a well structured strategic and operational plans,
show efforts for diversification of their funding sources and build on
the well established base and contacts they have so far to widen their
activities and approach. The fact that the project has been one instead
of three years has been a positive experience for the organization and
my believe is that this practice should be continued, because it give
the opportunity for the Association to evenly distribute their energy
and resources within the planned activities and to self assess their
development and plan further making sure they are diverse in regard to
their institutional development and financial independence. CEE Trust
could provide help and support to the Association in their efforts to
develop institutionally and strategically as well as consider supporting
the Association in their effort to find a small office space.
B. Financial checking
The overall cost of the A Place
for Future project is USD 94,664. USD 20,510 is own contribution and
the sum of USD 74,154 is provided by the CEE Trust. According to the
documentation the sum is given to the grantee in two tranches – one
initial (USD 40,000) in September, 2008 and the second one (USD 34,154) in
February, 2009 after a financial report submitted to the CEE Trust. The
reviewed documents in this chapter included copies of all expenses
filed per budget item with the according documents attached (contracts,
invoices etc.), copies of bank statements, statements from the National
Revenue Agency and the National Insurance Agency.
Findings
The
budget of the project was prepared in a team effort and was a first for
the majority of the people. According to the interviewees it was not
planned perfectly and some adjustments had to be made in order to meet
the needs and costs of the activities within the project. All of these
fall within the 20% allowed by the CEE Trust. Every change in budget
items and spending was communicated with the CEE Trust office in Sofia.
The
team has one person who has been designated the role of the financial
manager – working with the bank accounts, financial institutions,
collecting the financial documents in files and working with the
accountant.
All documentation is present, filed, tabled and footnotes explain the changes made in each budget item throughout the project.
Conclusions
The
financial documents show that all funds contributed towards this
project by the CEE Trust are spent accordingly. The expenditures are
well justified and accounted for.
Lessons to be learned by the CEE Trust/recommendations for further projects in Bulgaria
The flexibility of the CEE Trust policy is definitely something that should be kept.
The
fact that the CEE Trust performs such financial checks is something
healthy for the organizations (especially the new ones) and they file
their documentation in a proper manner. Perhaps in the future the CEE
Trust should also ask of their grantees an official, signed financial
audit report at the end of each project to ensure that there has been a
financial check done by professionals.
C. Organizational assessment report
Mission and goals
- The mission of the organization is formulated simply and is relevant.
All of the team members and board have an understanding of the purposes
of the organization and share the same values. The beneficiaries are
partners in the process of development, implementation and assessment of
the projects of the Association. The communication of the mission and
goals is open and organization’s partners and beneficiaries are also
involved in its formulation and share it. The management board and the
executive power of the organization encourage the rest of the team and
the beneficiaries to participate in the decision making process and the
work itself.
Structure and decision making
– The structure of the organization as per the bylaws is very simple
and easy to grasp. There is a Board consisting of three people. All
three are engaged in the work of the organization in one way or another
one of them serving as the Executive Director and another as the
Financial Manager. In reality the decision making process is not
formalized. There is an internal agreement to have a somewhat informal
structure where there is a spirit of shared leadership and the decisions
are made as a result of a consensus between team members. However in
case there can’t be a consensus reached the decision is made through a
vote, where the ED has two votes. Such a case has not emerged yet. The
structure and bylaws are serving the organization well so far. If the
Association decides to concentrate on its institutional development,
then perhaps it will need some reorganization and restructuring to
better reflect the changes.
Leadership
- The concept of leadership is very interestingly placed in the
organization. There is a feeling of shared leadership – everyone is
given the chance to bring something unique and different than the other,
and at the same time the two people who are considered the driving
force are the two creators of the organization and respectively the two
Board members. What is unique and worth mentioning is that within the
organization there is an agreement between the team members and
volunteers/interns that if there is no consensus on important issues,
there will not be an official position from the organization. This
agreement has helped the organization through the debate project vs.
party, which was elaborated on earlier. Everyone has the freedom to
express themselves and voice their ideas or concerns and be heard.
Human resources
- The team meets regularly (especially during the project
implementation – so far the only one of the organization) and there is a
record of these meeting showing clearly the distribution of roles and
tasks as well as the decisions made within those team meetings. The
communication in the team is open and good given that this is a new
organization and they practically haven’t had the chance to build a well
working team prior to starting the organization. Most of the people in
the organization have known each other of friends or work basis, but
they haven’t worked together up to this point. They need time to adjust
to their differences, but the curiosity and the determination to make
this diverse team work has done a great job. Despite the good results
and the team work however it might be good to consider strategies to
develop the team, to spend more quality time together in and out of the
project context and do purely team building activities.
It
is amazing to see a value driven organization that has not yet been
professionalized, but determined to achieve results in partnership with
the rest of the community. There is no sense of competition, but sense
of togetherness. Perhaps part of the success of the organization is that
all of the team members have other primary assignments and the work in
the Association is a secondary project for them. That keeps part of
their personal and professional freedom and gives them a chance to
concentrate of what is important for the organization.
Although
during the project implementation the roles have been distributed well,
the team members don’t have a system of profiling and terms of
reference for all team members. The coordination and work is good on the
project basis, but it would be good to have clear roles and
responsibilities assigned in the organization as such, beyond the
projects that the organization has. That would help the different team
members to find their place, identify better with the team/organization
and would also give the chance for the management to have a strategy for
the development of its team.
The
team of the organization has grown in number and in capacity in the
past year or so. The very valuable thing in the human resource
management of the organization however is the fact that there is a
constant transfer of skills going on – the older and more experienced
team members delegate and train the younger team members and volunteers
so that they can perform specific tasks and supervise their work. Same
goes for the management - they seek professional help where they find
the need. The team shares their experience and learning between each
other and out of the organization (the For the Nature network). The
tradition which made a very strong impression is that there is a team
effort to learn, which is why during the project once a month the team
underwent a certain training (as per their needs), which is also open
for students who are interested to attend.
Only
one or two members of the team have had experience with grants planning
and management before the current project, the so the experience had a
training component to it for the majority of team members. This
experience is recognized by all of the team members new or old. The
attitude towards new learning is very much impressionable here in this
team – constant search for new knowledge and experience make the
organization successful and unique in itself.
The
thing that makes it difficult for the team though is the lack of office
space where the organization can identify its presence with, hold
meetings, have open doors for students and interns to come and work.
The
thing that hasn’t been done yet is a team building exercise which is
planned but not yet implemented. It is very important for the team to
have a culture of celebrating their successes.
Outreach and Communication
- The Association is pretty open minded and visible. Their website has
been created within the project and contains easy to access and full
information about the project, the organization as well as the partners,
documents and initiatives. It has been translated by volunteers into
English and French and there is a plan to translate it to German at some
point in the near future. It has been accessed by young people from
other towns in Bulgaria
as well as from other countries, who signed in to participate in the
activities within the project and join the travel seminars.
One
thing that is considered positive is that the Association is constantly
searching for ways to be more open and visible, which is why they work
with the Mass Communication Department at the New Bulgarian University,
where student teams consulted the website and the general outreach
strategy of the organization as well as given advice on how to work with
the media. In general however in such a diverse organization with
people with so many different backgrounds and color, there is a need for
a strong communication strategy in order to keep things into
perspective and get the message in a constructive organized way, which
would help policy changes, attraction of new supporters etc. The Mass Communication Department of the New Bulgarian University
has expressed their willingness to work further on such a strategy
professionally in developing it and offering internships for their
students in the Shtastlivetsa Association, where the students can
implement the strategy and be of use in the best possible way.
Partnerships
- The Association is well connected with the environmental community.
They are part of the network “For the Nature” (the Eco Family within the
CEE Trust funded Open Society project). Through the evaluated project
the Association has established good working relations with other
organizations and groups some of which Balkan Assist and Bulgarian Center
for Non-Profit Law. The connections with the media are also good. In
terms of outreach the organization is visible – the website contains
copies of the print media as well as some of the radio appearances of
the team members. The TV appearances are not yet archived, but to my
understanding it is within the plans of team to have such an archive as
well.
Sustainability
- As of now, the organization doesn’t have a strategic plan and planned
budget for its activities in the next three to five years. Their
funding source is just the CEE Trust funded project as well as small
income from membership fees. There is a discussion about how to best
approach new funding and build on the achievements so far and how to
diversify the funding sources so that there is no dependency on just
one.
C. Recommendations
ü As
a result of this assessment there are two options of Shtastlivetsa
Association in terms of the future – concentrate on the institutional
development or the organization (formalizing, structure, procedures,
framing the organization etc) or continue the project work building on
what has been achieved during this past year. The discussion in the team
should be where do we want to be, are we ready for more or we are good
doing what we do as we are set up now with minor changes?
ü At
the current time there is no discussion as to what is next for the
organization as such. There is no strategic plan and no strategy on the
financial sustainability of the organization. Such process should be
launched as soon as possible so that the priorities and vision of the
organization for the next three to five years are established, ideas
discussed and given some sort of a financial framework.
ü A
serious discussion should be also made about how to straighten the
institution as such – the team, its roles and personal and professional
development. If the organization is going to go in the
institutionalization direction there should be a “face” assigned – the
decision maker, the representative of the organization in the public,
the coordinator of the projects and contacts. If on the other hand the
project concept is preferred a facilitator should be appointed who would
coordinate the communication between the different parties and
partners.
ü The
diversification of the financial sources should also be planned and
discussed – depending on the priorities and the project ideas some
attention and research should be done for other means of financial
support.
ü An
office should be opened where all the documentation, technical support
should be, that will provide also some sort of identification of the
people towards the organization. Perhaps one person should be hired to
facilitate and coordinate the communication between the different team
members who are scattered all around the city and to collect and file
all documentation, take phone calls and oversee the work with the
students at the office.
ü Whatever
the decision about the future three to five years, based on the diverse
team and the big number of ideas that the organization deals with a
communication/PR strategy should be developed and implemented as part of
the operational plans of the organization.
D. Annexes
I. List of people interviewed:
- Petar Kanev – Shtastlivetsa
- Radosveta Krustanova – Shtastlivetsa
- Martin Mikush – Shtastlivetsa
- Georgi Stefanov – Shtastlivetsa, WWF
- Dimitar Dimov – student, intern
- Gergana Kosturkova – student, intern
- Juliana Naskova – Shtastlivetsa volunteer, Red House employee
- Ludmila Grekova - Shtastlivetsa Financial Manager
- Anna Krusteva – NBU
- Rossen Stoyanov – NBU
- Toma Belev – Vitosha park
- Ivan Popov – student, intern
II. Time table of activities
Desk research – 1st to 15th August, 2009
Interviews – 3rd to 22nd August, 2009
Report – 10th-30th August, 2009
III. Questionnaires
1. Въпросник за оценка на организационното развитие
Organizational Assessment Questionnaire
- До каква степен вашата организация адресира истинските нужди на целевата група с която работи?/ To what extend do the organization reflects the real needs of the community it serves?
- Споделени и разбрани ли са целите и мисията на организацията от хората в нея? / Do people in the organization understand and share the mission and goals?
- Имало ли е голяма промяна в организацията в последните две години? Каква и до какво е довела? Как я оценявате? /
- Коя група или човек са движещата сила в организацията? / What group or person constitutes leadership in the organization?
- Как е организирано събирането, анализирането и разпространението на информация в организацията? / How are the collection, analysis and dissemination of information organized in the organization?
- Как организацията използва събраната информация от наблюдение, оценка и отчети?/ How does the organization use the generated information by the monitoring, evaluation and reporting system?
- Как организацията планира, оценява и отчита дейността си? / How does the organization plan, evaluate and report on its program activities?
- Имат ли служителите в организацията длъжностни характеристики?/ Do the organization employees have job descriptions?
- Съобразени ли са длъжностните характеристики с мисията на организацията и уменията на хората от екипа? / Are the job tasks and descriptions consistent with mission of the organization and skills of the staff?
- По какъв начин е постигнато разнообразие в организацията от гледна точка на състав на екипа (целевата група, външни експерти, представители на малцинствени групи или групи в неравностойно положение)? / In what ways is the diversity of the organizations target group reflected in the composition of the staff?
- Колко често се провеждат срещи на екипа, събиране на екипа за стратегически дискусии? / Are there staff meetings held and how often?
- Има ли в организацията редовен процес по планиране на бюджета? А за стратегическо и оперативно планиране? / Does the organization have a regular budget planning process?
- Какви са настоящите източници на финансиране на организацията?/ What are the existing sources of the organization’s financial resources?
- Има ли организацията достъп до технически специализиран опит, когато има потребност от това? / Does the organization have access to technical sectorial experience when required?
- Как организацията измерва резултатите, които постига? / How does the organization measure achievements of results and impact?
- Какви са отношенията на организацията с : целевата група; местна власт; НПО; местен бизнес; медии; донори? / What is the relationship of the organization with: Stakeholders; Local government; NGOs working in the area, or other NGOs; Local businesses; Media; Funders
- Демонстрира ли организацията дух на сътрудничество с други организации, както частни, така и публични? Ако да, с кого и в каква област? / Does the organization promote collaborative efforts (what and how) with other sectors of the community, both private and public?
- Как организацията демонстрира, че общността за която работи участва активно в програмите и дейностите й?/ How can the organization demonstrate that the community it serves are active participants in programs and activities?
- Част ли е организацията от някакви мрежи или коалиции? Какви? / Is the organization member of any coalitions or networks?
- Какво бихте искали да постигнете организационно отношение и какви са параметрите на промяна, които искате да постигнете? / What would you like to achieve as an organization?
- От какво има нужда организацията според вас, за да постигне набелязаните цели? / What organizational development needs does the organization have?
2. Въпросник за партньори и бенефициенти
Questionnaire for partners and beneficiaries
- От кога познавате организацията? / How long have you known the organization?
- Виждате ли промяна в организацията в последните две години и ако да, то в каква посока? / Do you see change in the organization in the last two years and if yes, what kind of change?
- Как по-точно бяхте въвлечени в този проект? / How were you involved in this project?
- Кое вървеше добре във взаимната ви работа и пред какви предизвикателства се изправяхте? Как се справихте с тях? / What went well in your joint work and what were the challenges that you faced? How did you deal with them?
- Смятате ли, че организацията има правилен подход към институциите ангажирани с решаването на проблемите които са поставени от проекта/организацията? Какво може да се подобри в този респект? / Do you think the organization has the right approach towards the institutions involved with the solution of the problems addressed in the project/or by the organization? What can be improved in this respect?
- Как оценявате работата и отношенията между организацията и големите институции въвлечени в работата (например: съд, университет, министерство, парламент, НПО и др)? / How do you assess the work and the relationships between the organization and the big institutions involved in the project (court, ministry, university, NGOs etc)?
- Какво би следвало да промени в работата си организацията в следващите две години? / What would you say needs to be changed in the work the organization does in the next two years?
- Колко често се виждахте, общувахте, чувахте в рамките на проекта? / How often did you meet within the project?
- Удовлетворени ли сте от работата и участието си в този проект? / Are you satisfied with the work and participation in this project?
3. Въпросник за оценка на проект – към екипи и борд
Questionnaire for project assessment (teams and boards)
- Разкажете за основната идея и цели на проекта?/ Could you talk about the main idea and goals of this project?
- Кое проработи добре и както беше предварително планирано и кое не се получи по план? Защо? / What went well and as initially planned and what didn’t work out? Why?
- Имаше ли непредвидени събития и аспекти, които наложиха промяна в проекта? / Were there any unplanned events or aspects that made it necessary to change the project?
- Колко голям беше екипа по проекта? Остана ли той в същия състав? Как вървеше комуникацията и работата в екипа по проекта? / How big was the project team? Did it stay in its original number? How was the communication and team work within this project?
- Успяхте ли да достигнете до широката публика с материалите и информацията, които произведохте и разпространявахте? Каква обратна връзка получихте? / Did you manage to reach out to the general public with the information and materials you have disseminated through the project? What was the feedback you got?
- Как ще продължи работата по този проект след края му? / How will you continue the work on the issue after the project end?
- Кои са големите постижения и резултати от този проект?/ What are the major results of the project according to you?
- От какво имате нужда, за да продължите работата по тази инициатива? Има ли нещо, с което искате да надградите работата и постигнатото? / What kind of resources and support do you need in order to continue working on the issues and build on the achieved?
- Удовлетворени ли сте от работата си по този проект? / Are you satisfied with the work you have done with this project?
- Как оценявате работата си с Тръста? / How do you assess your work with the CEE Trust?
IV. List of materials and documents received from grant beneficiaries
ü Project application
ü Project proposal
ü Financial proposal
ü Interim report narrative and financial
ü Copies of financial documents
ü Organizational structure and bylaws
ü Copies of memos from team meetings
ü Media appearances
ü Online publications and communication
ü Invitation and presentation of printed material published at the end of the project (end September)
More About this Site
Visions of the “PLACE FOR FUTURE” project
For
me “PLACE FOR FUTIRE” is an opportunity to combine the new, the
different, the fun and the care for the environment with the education,
meeting of new people, workshops organization, open-air concerts,
seminars, discussions, round-table discussions, personal example from
the participants in the project. Every participant contributes the
development of the project in their unique way. I was on a youth
exchange in Italy in June, participating a European Union program for
sustainable development and I can relate what we did there – how we
helped the national reserve Punta Aderci, which is the spit and image of
our beautiful Irakli.
My
expectations about the project are to be dynamic and concrete – to
give opportunities for expression to the participants and to those it
is oriented to – lecturers, students, people…
As
Radi said, let’s start from the concrete actions – to plant trees or
to make something together, but with concrete and clear message, and
only after that to go on with the more general messages.
For
me PLACE FOR FUTURE is a stage of unity – only together, each of us
with their ideas of better future, education, sustainable development
and care for the nature, we can build up our future place. My dream is
to make PLACE FOR FUTURE in an expression stage for all of us, and in
the same time a bridge between lecturers and students, between young and
old people, between all the people concerned about the future.
I
wish us to go to the lectures, seminars and discussions, which we
organize, with a desire to unlock the curiosity of the participants and
make them anxious to bring their friends, so that to give birth to a
mass, collective will to help – a mind open to the new.
Let us be!
Gabi
At first I had written something dry and boring, which did not add anything significant to this.
Now I am going to say only a few sentences, but with my living voiceJ:
By “PLACE FOR FUTURE” I dream of two things:
~To
repay the nature, Earth, living environment, Gaia – choose whichever
name you like most – at least a little bit of everything it gives me
every day, unconditionally. Air, light, food, beauty… (…if you are
interested in more ;))
~And
to do it together with other people, who dream in similar directions –
in order not to give up facing the illusion I am alone.
Kalin
Radosveta Krastanova:
I
commonly argue with friends, students, and colleagues about the sense
of being active in Bulgaria. The conversation – emotional, skeptical or
radiating touching indulgence from my interlocutor’s side –
unalterably comes to one point –
We,
the Bulgarian, are good-for-nothing people, the most aggrieved on the
Balkans, , our country is the most unorganized of all possible, our
nature – the worst protected, the roads- full of pot-holes, our
infrastructure and culture – beneath criticism, the education –
antediluvian, the politicians – the most unconcerned and corrupted and
so on and so forth.
Our compatriots are ignorant, rough-mannered, stuck in chalga-pop folk music; furthermore lacking initiative, unmotivated, and incompetent. However, not long ago I had a similar conversation with two of my students. They were complaining against the ignorance in Bulgaria and just like Aleko, were asking themselves “Switzerland or…?” When I asked them if they were not a piece of the same picture, they started a heated argument – their parents were different, they had chance upon relatives, teachers, friends, they were born in good social environment, they had genetically set talents. I asked them if their negative observations concern me. “In no way. How could you even think of it?” My parents? – Obviously no – being my parents they have, to a great extent, formed me, to be the person I am now. I started to extend the range of suspects – named other colleagues, lecturers, my students’ relatives – here the answer was all the same: “We are not talking about these people; they are from those OTHER people… You know what we are talking about, don’t pretend you do not understand.”
It turns out that when it comes to being concrete, the conversation sinks in schizophrenia – those conclusions refer to the OTHERS, but not for me, my parents, and my friends.
And it is so because…
The Bulgarian as an individual is a measure of intelligence, resourcefulness and adaptability, of success and flexibility, but only when they are in another, well organized, standardized and cultivated environment…
The conclusion goes without saying – I am capable and gifted, the problem is either in the system, or in the OTHERS. The way to escape is to run. Run out- abroad, or run in – in ourselves, in the more and more limited circle of friends.
Our dreams reach the same – we dream how to escape from the reality in Bulgaria, not how to make it better. Because the way to live better in Bulgaria is to work together with the OTHERS, and to work with them we must have our own, but common project for future…
MEANWHILE…
A
Bulgarian man from Sliven, chairman a of a local association,
succeeded to prove expertly, that the water in the sewerage of the city
is not suitable for drinking, because it is rusty, and for this reason
unusable, and to go to law against the respective ВИК for discrimination against the population.
A
few young people in love with the magic of Irakli, succeeded materials
at hand, a lot of enthusiasm and twenty-four-hour dogged work (мостmost
of the people hardly even realize the last of these things) to make
the region a legend, their actions – a national movement, and the
campaign “Save Irakli” – one of the few bright and significant symbols
of the civil activity in Bulgaria. A little civil association from a little settlement nearby Sofia, succeeded through a referendum to announce that it objects to go on living near a radioactive dung-hill.
A few organizations, associations, groups, and just citizens got over their differences, joined their efforts and created the coalition For the Nature
There are even more examples. What is nice, is that they are much more that we can even imagine. What is bad is that these people fairly know each other and this makes them weak and vulnerable. They miss a tribune, a meeting place, a room to share their experience, to talk about their problems and successes, to pass their message.
We decided PLACE FOR PUTURE to be this place. A place where students, lecturers, experts, lovers of nature, or just people with bright, active position, could meet each other. A place where good examples become visible. A place where, everyone, who is interested, can find information, learn something and pass it to the others, that way expanding the network of aware and active people.
We plan this place to settle in the university area, and to become a centre of information, discussions, debates, a tribune for the good practices, which medias hardly, rarely and tendentiously do (not) reflect. PLACE FOR FUTURE already finds its place in the educational programs of the departments, faculties, universities.
PLACE FOR FUTURE is a community of joint people, for whom the professional competency complements the civil expression, and the civil position creates bright personalities.
Our aim is to show, that among us there are people, living in the present, but creating future by their actions. People, who do not wait for the Good to come, but are happy with the timely, even small, actions. This way we will demonstrate that public society and civil activity in Bulgaria are not only a good wish, something living in politicos’ fantasies, but a real state.
We wish to make the island of public community a significant archipelago.
And my personal wish is to convince my students and colleagues to join this project, in order to extend its message and pass it like a baton…
There is an idea of succession, stability, development…
There is an idea of Future…
Arch. Martin Mikush
Natural Planing
Total freezing of the central parts of the city, liberal urban outskirts, high-tech global modal transport- all of them in inviolable nature.
Vision
I believe this vision is feasible! It’s a matter of will and considered decision which scenario of progress to choose. I would leave the apocalyptic pictures to the literacy practices. The time for experiments with our common home is over. What is left is to look at the bottom of the one. At the bottom of life: To be together in our dreams, to keep moving, but carefully.
Peace and Prosperity!
Julia Naskova’s visionI wish our project, which definitely is pilot and innovative as a spirit and conception, to become a stable center of ideas, strategies, plans, places, and people, and mainly to help the stable development in places, which are already affected or are going to be affected by Bulgarian greed for short-term profits. By the proper people, and events, and purposive synergy to present the project and to draw as many as possible concerned people in it. To make other people take interest, to make them consider and plan their own life in another way, starting to account and counteract the factors pollution, noise, ugly, unsystematic, uncomfortable housing development, and pulling down. To start thinking and practically acting for the sustainable development in their home, neighborhood, town, country… To clear the environment protection and the green idea from the collected clichés, and the exhaustion of the inaction of institutions, with impudent, unscrupulous leaders in their head, and to infuse new ideas and strategies for the work with people and reaction against Bulgarian brains and criminal carelessness. I imagine, that the people, involved in this project, will have created AN IDEA, much as active citizens, responsible for their and the next generations’ life and progress.
I wish our target group to start realizing, for example, that the Black Sea coast belongs to every Bulgarian, it is unique, and it is only a part of the unique places in our country. The stable and normal progress of the Black Sea coast is a benefit of every Bulgarian, not only during their holiday. This applies to every other part of the nature in Bulgaria.
I wish the result of this project, after a year, to be a network of students, aiming sustainable development of the environment and the protection of nature. We will call them THINK TANK. And, after the project, they will start to plan their life according to the principles of the sustainable development, and to work in universities, awakening their colleagues and lecturers. They will start working in the local society, in their neighborhood, among their relatives, acquaintances, friends. They will pass their experience to a wide range of people, take part in other events, and initiate events by themselves.
In my view, in the project we should stake on the provocation, the challenge, the personal example, the non-traditional presentation of ideas and conceptions, and the individual approach. Apart from the ordinary, conventional presentations, meetings, discussions and round-table discussions, to provoke our target group with something, which after being visually presented to them, make them think the whole day…
The main idea of PLACE FOR FUTURE is TRAINING, INFORMATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL.
But I wish this project TO BE REMEMBERED AND USED as a successful, working model.
Georgi Stefanov It was in the summer of 2007: a hot, very hot summer, as well for the weather, as for the emotions of the young, protesting people, in the streets, defending the nature, our nature, Bulgarian nature, of which all of us are so proud, but hurried in everyday works, we have forgotten about its uniqueness.
Probably most of the spectators on the sidewalks and in the cars were very interested in what these young people wanted. For protests for higher wages or pensions, were common events, but these young people wanted something else: to have a future, and an opportunity to ensure their children at least with what they had had- a sip of fresh air, clean mountain water, and places, that can take your breath away…
Then, in the heat of the big city, on a meeting for a mug of beer, came the idea for the project “PLACE FOR FUTURE”. Tired of all the things happening around us, the total neglecting of laws, and the way we rapidly lose our unique nature, Petar and Radi were looking for followers, together with whom to realize the idea of “PLACE FOR FUTURE”.
For me, the idea was clear and absolutely timely. Only a few years earlier, in the beginning of the millennium, the problems were much less, but the people working in the sphere of environment protection also were a few dozens. I can definitely say that things are much different now.
Today there is a new generation of people. People, who realize that a lot of things depend on them, that they can change their future, and that a false step today, would surely lead to difficulties tomorrow. We rely exactly on people like these, people with public-spirited conscience, people with ideas, responsible to the up-coming generations, people who have realized where humanity goes, and the fatal consequences we can come to, if we do not take measures, NOW AND IMMEDIATELY.
My personal view coincide the whole conception of the project. The aim of PLACE FOR FUTURE is to unite the liberty-loving people, with “unaffected souls”, who have a vision of the important things in our existence, and in the same time to help each other. There are a lot of these people in the university circles, and this is why the main field of activity is right there. These young active people are tomorrow’s heralds of the idea of the new modern future.
PLACE FOR FUTURE is a project, which aims to unite and help all these active students and citizens, who, in certain moments, have been misunderstood by their colleagues, friends, and relatives. PLACE FOR FUTURE is just the field of activity and enriching ourselves with others’ ideas.
PLACE FOR FUTURE has one main aim – to create a premise for a better future, with many happy people and less problems.
Petar KanevPLACE WITHOUT FUTURE?
I don’t know how to name, what happens with everything alive- souls, people, animals, nature- nowadays, here in Bulgaria, especially on the Black Sea coast. Chalga-Pop folk music, kitsch, ignorance, criminality, corruption – these words are weak, trite and insufficient to describe the disgusting reality we are sinking in. I think the most accurate metaphor is slops.
The slops gradually flood everything and everyone – words, people, Medias, towns, seas, and mountains. The least we can do is to state freely and clearly, that we do not want it! And this won’t be a little act, if we do it all the possible ways, by all the possible means – however and whenever everyone can, but what is most important – uninterruptedly and constantly, really all of us. I will start with a small act against the slops – something inmost. It is also a dedication to all the people, who made something despite the despair, the misery, the tiredness, the personal obligations, and the problems, and despite the slops.
I
wrote this text in the heat of the campaign „Save Irakli” in summer
2006. Since then my pessimism and despair become paler with every little
thing against the slops, I do daily. This is the result, when someone
makes something little every day, and in the little things originates a
community of people, a common spirit, a common mood, a moving from one
place to another…PLACE FOR FUTURE
Not a dream, not a project, not a Utopia. A real existing place, where a lot of little revolutions happen… They start inside you, inside your head, inside your body, and your mind – and they come outside you, for example, because you are not alone, and ferry from one to another like a chain reaction, like the energy through the neurons.
When, a few years ago, the coincidence of circumstances throw me in a concrete problem, several consecutive lightening flashed across my mind:
It is not possible a nightmare like this to happen!
It is not possible such dedicated, worthy people to exist nowadays! Why I haven’t heard of them?
It is impossible these people to be so many! I have never imagined they exist, and they have been around us all the time! They are not seen in the Medias, nobody knows about them, who could imagine there exists a civil movement in our country?
How will I look upon myself, if I do not support these people somehow?
We are not alone!
Oh, what can happen! There is a magic, a good sorcery, the wonder is with us!
This movement is like the life, once entered it, the only way back is a suicide…
In a few years the PLACE FOR FUTURE sprouted and grew up. It needs a lot of cares, and we will probably not see the product of it. The care of it- this is the gift we get. And we need the place for future, because it can happen even on a place without future. And if the solidarity, active civil position, social connection among people are still a forgotten memory from the distant past for us, I think this can change, as we start from the beginning like pioneers, today- not tomorrow, here- not anywhere else. A lot of little daily examples, sustainable and constant, create the real communities of people, society, culture, politics, and development. Do they still make sense? Only they make sense. The sense of the mantra of sustainable development.
Everything started from the emotions and in their shock new horizons gradually spread out – the necessity of more common sense, more awareness, and more light. And the place where this can happen is the place where people learn and develop. A place where future sprouts is the education. What will this future be depends on each of us.
We often hear that every effort is useless, except from the effort to regularize your own life at the expense of the others, that there are no common values, but only objective occurrences. One common value however is inside us – the preservation of life. To defeat life means to be dead.
I am happy we have succeeded so far, and I can repeat my one-time words.
I dedicate this project to all the people, who made something despite the despair, the misery, the tiredness, the personal obligations, and the problems, and despite the slops.
GLOSSARY
(under heavy construction)
Civil society: The term “civil society” has been used for the first time by Aristotle. In its original context it had been directly related to the government of the polis of Athens…
Types of democratic practices: …
Sustainable development: The term has been introduced by the UN. Its translation in Bulgarian (“устойчиво развитие”) is not absolutely accurate, because it is a bit ambiguous and unclear. (In our forum, we are trying - together - to come up with a more accurate translation.) In this case, sustainability implies a long-term development that improves over time; one that holds a promise not only for the present time, but especially for the near and far future… Sustainable development is a type of development that has a future…
Forum process: Even in the dawn of mankind, people came together to discuss how to regulate their activities. Meeting and talking to other people has been a necessity and a priceless social activity over the years, transcending national boundaries and religious beliefs. Given a modern structure, certain traditional forms could become strong and effective communication tools. The forum is one of the methods that can be used for structuring a discussion. Its democratic nature enhances the participation process: the forum happens in front of people’s eyes and is open to everyone; it presents information transparently, makes sure that all points of view are considered equally, and guarantees the visibility of the results.
Main aim of the forum process: Achieving better communication between the interested parties and improving the quality of life as a whole. In terms of political science, this can also be seen as improving government.
Soon in the GLOSSARY:
Ecology: the ambiguousness of the word oikos in Ancient Greek very accurately expresses the meaning we put into the word ecology in our everyday life. Oikos – where our “eco” comes from - means home, house, cosmos, world, universe - the universe is our common home. Logos is an even more ambiguous word – although we often use it for science and knowledge, it means word, state, fire (and in a figurative sense, a distinct dynamic of interconnections ) …
In this sense, Ecology, both as a science and social movement, is always connected with:
- integration
- structure
- synergy
What is energy and can we speak of energy of the future?
The glossary of Place for Future that we are constructing will give you answers as well as supply questions like:
- Why it is necessary to bring back the authentic meaning of words and terms that we use every day?
- Are there non-relative values?
And many others….
To be continued.
Civil society: The term “civil society” has been used for the first time by Aristotle. In its original context it had been directly related to the government of the polis of Athens…
Types of democratic practices: …
Sustainable development: The term has been introduced by the UN. Its translation in Bulgarian (“устойчиво развитие”) is not absolutely accurate, because it is a bit ambiguous and unclear. (In our forum, we are trying - together - to come up with a more accurate translation.) In this case, sustainability implies a long-term development that improves over time; one that holds a promise not only for the present time, but especially for the near and far future… Sustainable development is a type of development that has a future…
Forum process: Even in the dawn of mankind, people came together to discuss how to regulate their activities. Meeting and talking to other people has been a necessity and a priceless social activity over the years, transcending national boundaries and religious beliefs. Given a modern structure, certain traditional forms could become strong and effective communication tools. The forum is one of the methods that can be used for structuring a discussion. Its democratic nature enhances the participation process: the forum happens in front of people’s eyes and is open to everyone; it presents information transparently, makes sure that all points of view are considered equally, and guarantees the visibility of the results.
Main aim of the forum process: Achieving better communication between the interested parties and improving the quality of life as a whole. In terms of political science, this can also be seen as improving government.
Soon in the GLOSSARY:
Ecology: the ambiguousness of the word oikos in Ancient Greek very accurately expresses the meaning we put into the word ecology in our everyday life. Oikos – where our “eco” comes from - means home, house, cosmos, world, universe - the universe is our common home. Logos is an even more ambiguous word – although we often use it for science and knowledge, it means word, state, fire (and in a figurative sense, a distinct dynamic of interconnections ) …
In this sense, Ecology, both as a science and social movement, is always connected with:
- integration
- structure
- synergy
—
What is permaculture?What is energy and can we speak of energy of the future?
The glossary of Place for Future that we are constructing will give you answers as well as supply questions like:
- Why it is necessary to bring back the authentic meaning of words and terms that we use every day?
- Are there non-relative values?
And many others….
To be continued.
Next event
Regular academic courses under the Place for Future project:
Every Thursday, 13:00 – 15:00
Department “History and Theory of Culture” in SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 4th Kilometer, bl.1, 4th floor, hall 410a
Culture of the Future: Projects and Practices of Sustainable Development
An optional discipline for undergraduate students offering an internal practice and a summer practice under the Place for Future project.
Lecturer: Dr. Petar Kanev
~ ~ ~
Every Tuesday, 18:00 – 19:30
New Bulgarian University, II corpus, hall 602
Organization and Management of NGO
A regular course for graduate students doing their masters degree in Comparative Politics and International Relations in in the Political Sciences department at New Bulgarian University.
Lecturer: Ass. Radosveta KrestanovaRadosveta Krestanova, Ph.D, presentation at Nottingham: On spontaneous civil movements in defence of Bulgarian nature
Radosveta Krestanova, Ph.D, presentation at Nottingham: On spontaneous civil movements in defence of Bulgarian nature http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dckf2vn7_7c9nmf9hkRadosveta Krestanova, Ph.D, presentation at Nottingham: On spontaneous civil movements in defence of Bulgarian nature
Radosveta Krestanova - presentation at Nottingham University
PRESENTATION NOTTINGHAM
In order to understand the selection of the topic and its importance, a brief excursus into the risen and development of the environmental movement in Bulgaria is necessary.
Therefore, I would like to present some of the most considerable stages in the evolution of the new environmental movement in Bulgaria.
Firstly I would label this movement as “new”, as in the end of 80ies of previous century Bulgaria already experienced the first so-called green wave, which was grounded in the dissident protests in the end of the totalitarian regime.
I. THE CASES
1. Save Irakli Campaign
The first considerable civic mobilisation was been related to Irakli[1] - a quite picturesque and untouched place, one of the last nine places that has evaded the Black Sea saeside urbanization.
Save Irakli Campaign has been ofircially launched in the spring of 2006 because of the investment plans of some companies /group of investors, associated with a offshore Swiss company founded in Bulgaria, to develop the area by building hotels, despite the place’s status – half of it is protected by law and is a potential NATURA 2000 site. The people from Save Irakli Campaign managed in due time to hold various activities and to attract enormous public support. Only within a year the citizen group evolved in national campaign, including people from many big towns in Bulgaria. Famous Bulgarian actors, film directors and intellectuals supprted the environmentalists. The groups’ activities are specific – they use non- conventional approaches, vision, layout and striking messages, as you can see on these photos.
Here you can see two of the most successful actions:
- The procession of the natural mad capes, held in February 2007. The message was that normal people, who are aware of the real dangers and issues, are been taken as MAD CAPES, and so they turn into endangered species, as they do demand that their rights shoud be protected and they should be treated in accordance to the law of species in danger
- The second event called The Longest kiss in the entire history of st. Valenitine’s Day, and in the hole green movements history or A Kiss for Irakly, summoned in February 14th 2008 hundreds of enamoured activists in front of National Theater in Sofia.
The Campaigns’ activites are not organized solely on the base of holding effective direct actions although they do attract a considerable public support. The campaign became visible at a national and european level due to active dialogue with the relevant institutions, strongly lobbying on executive and judicial authorities, organizing requests and petitions and filing court lawsuits.
On January 23, 2007, the environmentalists handed in at the National Assembly of Bulgaria 50 000 signatures petition of Bulgarian and foreign citizens standing out for defending Irakli and the whole Black Sea coastline. The same petition was been officially submitted in in the European Parliament as a proof for the considerable public concern of the Bulgarians for the Black Sea coastline’s hyper building.
The second considerable civic campaign was named Save Strandja [2].
Strandja mountain is situated in the south eastern part of Bulgaria, has unique flora, fauna and landscape and is listed among the five EU first priority protected sites in South- Eastern Europe. Strandja has a statute of natural park. The campaign started quite spontaneously and evolved really fast. The reason for initiating it was the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court to abolish the , legal statute of the park. At the back of this absurd decision were the economic concerns of CRASH 2000 investment company and pressure of the local authorities. CRASH 2000 erected this hotel and tries to legalize it.
“Save Strandja campaign” was the most rapidly evolving and most effective of all held so far. The explanation for this success are related with the new technologies, permitting successive and permanent spreading out of the news – the ones who have been informed messaged sms and emails to their acquaintances, upload and post the info on all websites and blogs which engandred a spontaneous reactions. Few hours later all these people that has been in the current of the news of the court’s decision met and gathered at two of the focal places in the capital. Unofficially they have been between 1000 and 2000. Most part of them did not know each other and decided just in time how to act out without scenario. By stepping out on the roads and completely blocking the traffic /and virtually obstructing by sitting-in one of the major boulevards/. The police accused all of breaching the peace and arrested about 20 people some of them minor.
Nevertheless the result was quite clear. By this action /called flash mob/ the Campaign hit the news for the day. The events was broadly covered by all media in Bulgaria and many media in abroad. The public largely supported the protesters. This have been strongly backed up by the sociological agencies and their polls– According to NCAPO (National Center for Analysis of the Public Opinion) in July 2007 77 percent of the Bulgarian citizens did support the Campaign, exceeding the support of teachers, pensionners and taxi drivers, held almost at the same time. Consequently, only two weeks later due to the strong public pressure the Parliament invalidated its Act, thus restoring the previous statute of the Park.
The next campaign is NATURA 2000[3]
The reason of its emergence was been provoked again by some senior decision – this time of the Council of Ministers– to reduce the Bulgarian protected areas in NATURA 2000 Network from 34 to 18 per cent.
In the part that has been dropped out there are places that every Bulgarian cherishes and loves to visit and relax by – these are one of the most picturesque, lovely and stunning places at the Black sea coast and up in the mountains. The official reason was that the scope’s borders had to be explicitly defined, and the non- official – grey sphere economic concerns together with political authority’s representation.
The campaign has been run without break for 8 months by peaceful sit in protests each Thursday/the day for the ordinary Council of Ministers’ session/ in front of the building of the headquarters of the Council of Ministers. Environmentalists continually diversify repertories of their sit-ins – each event was been held thematically and follows its own scenario such as – gathering coins for paying the future fines imposed by EU, “Cotton ear – caps” protest - showing the lack of dialogue between the protesters and the state institutions, masquerade event, at which there’s a transgression of sexes’ roles – men are women and vice versa – to demonstrate that noting goes normal in the country, but things are inverted and insane.
The output was successful: the Council of Ministers decided to recuperate a considerable part of the territories. Notice that this is due not only because of all protests, but because of a combination of tremendous exterior lobbying and permanent pressure from inside - by sending requests and petitions, elaborating expert stands and constant warnings to the European Commission and the European Parliament.
The last campaign that I will present / most current one/ is Save Rila Campaign.
Rila is maybe the most known Bulgarian mountain range - a mythical place and mysterious centre of the esoteric White Brotherhood Movement, established in the end of the 19th century by the Bulgarian Peter Danov – The Teacher. The mountain nowadays still attracts not only fans of еxtreme sports but people with different spiritual needs, men with certain spiritual inclination. Rila Crew was initiated again on the same basis stated already – a decision for extension of existing ski racing tracks by violating and destroying some protected territories, hyper building and concreting the places all over. The construction and the building of an enormous ski resort is pending and the construction as well of artificial eighth lake near the famous 7 Rila lakes, that will be tooled up with synthetic snow.
For quite a short time, this team consisted mainly of university students and young experts won great public support not only in Bulgaria but also from abroad. A clear evidence is the France- Rila Campaign, initiated by French citizen, who works on European level due to the activity of a Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Macedonian , Belgium and French citizens.
The united endeavours of Rila crew and Rila – France Campaign put the campaign in the agenda of the European Commission and the European Parliament. In the scope of the Campaign’s activities, there are few court lawsuits, petitions and written requests, meetings with representatives of the European Commission. Recently a group of euro-commissioners visited Rila on the ground of many complaints of Citizens for Saving Rila for violating many national and European laws. The considerable public support for the campaign is obvious by public petition for Saving Rila which collected 150 000 (hundred fifty thousand) signatures.
At the end of 2006, some of these citizen groups and campaigns merged into the most outstanding ecological and environmental NGOs and founded ForTheNature Coalition. This Coalition is actually the most sustainable and considerable accomplishment of Bulgarian civil environmental movement and can be regarded as an essential social and political factor. The structure is not homogeneous - citizen groups as Rila Crew, leagued together with civil associations even with NGOs around a particular problematic issue. The coalition does not have a legal status and does make solutions based on the difficult democratic consensus principle. The organization is been managed on horizontal principle and re-creates network characteristic to the smaller civic groups and initiatives.
Last but not least I would like to point out that in the last years in Bulgaria there’s a considerable expansion of local initiatives and foundation of local lobby citizen groups and active initiative committees at places where there’s a need for deciding particular issues in given district, a metropolitan area or a community.
Just an example – There is a network of initiative committees within Sofia metropolitan, initiated and evolving because of waste disposal crisis of the city.
________________________________
[1] initiated by a group of citizens, self-organized in defence of one of the last preserved sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The citizens from Save Irakli group have been actively involved in almost all actions in protection of Bulgarian nature in the past years, as their activities had been supported by the most important nature conservation organizations in Bulgaria
Find further information at: www.daspasimirakli.com.
[2] Find further information at: http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Science_And_Nature/Material/strandjaprotest.htm
[3] For more information see http://www.natura2000bg.org/natura/eng/index1.php
Guardian: Architecture: Bulgarian eco town ‘the biggest mistake of Norman Foster’s career’, say protesters
Норман Фостър на Карадере, карикатура от турски вестник
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/14/greenbuilding.climatechange
· ‘Green’ resort threatens last area of unspoilt coast
· Design is sympathetic to habitats, architect says
Kate Connolly in Karadere beach
The Guardian, Monday July 14, 2008
Article history
An artist’s impression of the resort, which is designed to provide carbon-neutral living for 15,000 people
An hour-long stroll through an oak forest, past clusters of blackberries, St John’s wort, olive trees and butterflies, ends with the rewarding sight of soft, white sands and gently breaking waves.
On Karadere beach, in north-east Bulgaria, a smattering of families have set up camp for the summer, as they have done for years. But this year the happy-go-lucky mood has been punctured by fears that the small corner of paradise is under imminent threat by Bulgaria’s first carbon-neutral resort.
Having been considered ripe for development since the collapse of communism 19 years ago, the area is set to be turned into a luxury €1bn (£780m) settlement. Dubbed the Black Sea Gardens, it will include five new hill towns, artificial lakes, a marina and an extensive leisure area and will be self-sustaining, thanks to biomass power and construction from local, natural resources, say the developers.
But the 540-acre (219-hectare) development, spearheaded by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, has enraged Bulgaria’s growing band of ecologists.
They say it will destroy the Black Sea coast’s last remaining virgin stretches of beach and will have a devastating effect on the rich biodiversity of an area which has environmental protection status under the EU’s Natura 2000 programme, which aims to protect endangered species and habitats.
But the Bulgarian government’s failure to enact regulations outlawing extensive developments in such areas has allowed coastal constructions to go ahead almost unhindered. Now there is hardly a stretch of the country’s 220-mile coastline untouched by overdeveloped resorts. Locals are often restricted from accessing beaches whose entrances are flanked by security guards.
Construction of the Black Sea Gardens project, which Foster and Partner’s website describes as “a series of car-free hill towns in an unspoilt setting of oak forests, meadows and river gorges”, is due to start next year. Under the plans, 15,000 inhabitants of Sky Village, Wilderness Village, Meadow Village, Cape Village and Sea Village will be encouraged to leave their cars outside the settlements and go by foot, or use pools of electric cars and shuttle buses instead.
Sky is the first village due to be built, with the backing of a British-Bulgarian investment group. US, Russian and Saudi Arabian investors have expressed an interest in the other hill towns, according to the Bulgarian co-architects, Projects Ltd, which describes the resort as having something for every holidaymaker - “from sportish Club Med types to more contemplative, sleepy types”.
Foster and Partners did not provide anyone to talk to the Guardian, but in a press release it stressed that the resort is designed to blend in with its environment. “The residential clusters are tightly packed and integrated into the contours of the landscape, preserving the majority of its site as virgin terrain,” it read.
Detractors say while the plans might be of a much higher standard than the depressing array of substandard constructions hugging the Black Sea, the sheer scale of the resort will do lasting damage to the natural habitat. The settlements will eat into untouched oak forests, and the invasion of thousands of people and new roads will disturb one of Europe’s major migratory routes for millions of birds, known as via pontica, they say.
“I ask myself whether Norman Foster really knows what he’s getting himself in to,” said Todor Karastoyanov, a musician and protester against the project who frequents the beach and married his wife, Boriana, there last summer.
“We want to try to stop him from making the biggest mistake of his career by building here, because it’s immoral and he might not know that.”
Biliana Voutchkova, a concert violinist holidaying on Karadere beach with her family, as she has done since her childhood, said: “This has been a magnet for those wishing to spend time away from civilisation and to enjoy nature, but soon it will be lost forever and we’ll only realise the consequences once it’s too late.” Dimiter Georgiev, an ornithologist from nearby Varna, said the habitats of numerous species would be “directly disturbed and destroyed by this construction”, including those of otters, butterflies, woodpeckers, honey buzzards, lesser spotted eagles and red-backed shrikes. “We know from experience that these species don’t move elsewhere, they just disappear,” he said, citing the demise of several species of lark, shrike and bunting in areas given over to resort developments.
“We’re not against mass tourism but it should be planned in a proper way, with areas set aside for wildlife to breed. But the problem is so much of the coastal areas have been developed, there’s now hardly any space left, which means the ecosystem’s resilience is greatly weakened, so any new site does not have the moral right to call itself ‘eco’.”
Foster has yet to visit the site, but he has been involved in discussions between the British and Bulgarian teams, according to Georgi Stanishev, the director of Projects Ltd. Stanishev, brother of Bulgaria’s prime minister Sergei Stanishev, insisted that Black Sea Gardens was environmentally ethical and was breaking no laws.
“What we as the Bulgarian team of architects and Foster and Partners are doing is absolutely adequate to the legislation and the laws of this country,” he said, adding that the construction would be sympathetic to its surroundings.
The project was conceived as an antidote to the over-development along the rest of the Black Sea coastline, he said.
Opponents say they will not let the project go ahead without a fight.
“We’re planning to hold protests in Sofia, as well as concerts,’ said Nadezhda Miksimova, of the campaign group For the Nature. “And we will set up a protest camp on the beach itself.”
Financial statement and activities implemented by Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association (SSCA) (2006-2008)
For the period 2006-2008 Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association has taken part in the following inititiatives and actions:
- Official communication with the respective authorities on local, national and European level and application of the legislative regulations for data access together with other civil initiatives ,organizations and active students;
- Launching, realizing and handing in petitions to the respective authorities; (petition for preservation and protection for the Black Sea coastline and for the Bulgarian nature in the Bulgarian National Assembly and in the European Parliament);
- Organization and holding of consultative open meetings and debates;
- appointments and discussions with representatives from respective environmental and nature protection Departments and Units –Мministry of waters and environment, parliamental Commission of waters, forests and environment;
- permanent civil participation in the Municipal Commission for of waters, forests and environment (entitled to deposit standpoint papers, recommendations, subject to commission’s voting and approval );
- New Sofia Urban Plan discussions - participation by means of official recommendations and standpoint papers;
- co- organization and realization of protest marchings and demonstrations against the illegal garbage packing, incl. a common demonstrations of all civil initiatives and NGOs, committed to Sofia’s garbage crisis resolving;
- co- organization and participation in NATURA 200, Save Irakli, Save Strandja and Save Rila protest marchings and demonstrations along with NGOs and other civil initiatives;
- organization and carrying out in academic environment debates, seminars and other events concerning the main filed of interest and priorities of Shtastlivetza Association (debate with Stavros Dimas - EU Environment Commissioner, NATURA 200 seminar with a following debate, students action for the Earth Day and films screening in New Bulgarian University, “Urban planning, regulation, nature and sustainable development” debate in University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy- Sofia) ;
- launching and realization of a journalistic investigation (documentary, concerning the garbage crisis in Sofia ( Nova TV broadcast– Na chisto broadcasting- Promedia Production) ;
- drafting, preparation, publication and distribution of informational materials, announcements, reposrts (Bluelink, News bg, Mediapool, Save Irakli, For the Nature (forthenature.org), media events – interviews, participation in TV broadcasts and discussions (Bulgarian National Radio, Bulgarian National Television, 24 hours newspaper, etc.); maintaining mail list and blog of the coalition.
- Preparation, publication and distribution of reviews and scientific reports on the topic of civil participation in nature protection in Bulgaria (Bluelink, For The Nature Coalition site, Save Irakli site, science collections of New Bulgarian University);
- active support of and cooperation with civil initiatives (Save Irakli, Save Rila, Save Strandja
- initiation and participation in environmental protection coalitions (Zero Waste coalition, For The Nature in Bulgaria coalition);
- business trips for research and documentation of particular environmental protection causes
- conducting individual expert consultations to interested local parties and people and to representatives of civil initiatives
- filing a case against the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Waters (RIEW) – Sofia for violating the ecological legislation
- forming a team committed to implementing a University civil campaign for promotion of principles and values of civil participation and sustainable development;
- strengthening of the partnerships established and creating new ones with agents from civil initiatives, NGOs and academic milieus.
The financial flows of the Association for 2006 amount to Performing
Genuine Civil Control over the Activities of the Sofia Municipality,
the Concessionaires and the State Institutions Aimed at a Proper
(Environmentally and Publicly Acceptable) Solution to the Sofia Waste
Crisis (a 5 months project funded by Open Society Institute, Sofia, implemented for the period 2006, April – November), carried out within Vindication campaigns for improving the local policies. The principal recipient of the above- mentioned project is Shtastlivetza Sofia Civil Association (formerly known as The Initiative Committee For Cleanness and legality).
The project’s grant (5000 BGN) was
spent for carrying out journalistic investigations and business/ field
trips in the concerned sites, organizing exhibition, drafting and
translating experts’ stand papers (see above).
For Future
‘The
problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics
whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can
dream of things that never were!’
John F. Kennedy
_________________
We invite you to join our project
PLACE FOR FUTURE
What is it?
A university project for sustainable development and civil participation carried out by the Shtastlivetsa Sofia Civil Association.
What are we going to do?
Place for Future
is an opportunity to combine new and different approaches, enjoyment
and care for the environment with education, meeting new people,
organizing workshops, open-air concerts, seminars, discussions, round
tables, as well as the personal example set by the members of the
project.
We were brought together by our caring for the future of our favourite spots, in nature and the city alike…
Be one of us!
Young and committed, responsible and cheerful, ambitious and daring – an inspired team
of friends and like-minded folks, still learning from one another and
enjoying our work – because we plan, reflect, party, participate,
create, give our best, offer solutions for the type of development that
does have a future.
Who else takes part?
Our partners are For the Nature Coalition of non-governmental and civil organizations, New Bulgarian University, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and University for Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia.
You
You are the future. You are concerned about the fate of Irakli, Sinemorets, the Knyazhevo Woods, Strandja and all the other heavenly, still virginal places around Bulgaria… and not only.
You sympathize with those
citizens who not only protect Bulgarian nature and cultural heritage,
but also set an example of honourable human and civil conduct.
You
are an inquiring, seeking and active person, interested in the world
around and contributing to its changing for the better…
You believe it’s important to know your civil rights and learn how to uphold them.
You understand the benefits of civil activity and wish to get involved with a project, idea or event of your own.
…You
wish to find out more about the people who struggle to help the Rhodope
Mountains, Vitosha, the Russian Church in Sofia, the Bulgaria Grand
Hotel survive… Who organize tourism that fits in with the environment.
Who stand up for their rights not just for themselves, but for the whole
of their community. Who offer sustainable ways of development.
…Who
are not afraid to be different, because their difference builds upon
principles and values. Who see a point in being concerned about your
fellow beings and draw satisfaction from deeds whose fruits will be
gathered by the generations after them.
Who
are invisible today – but shall be talked of tomorrow. Who think and
act now, so that we human beings are around also in the future.
…You are a student, lecturer, university administrator…
You’re familiar with interesting and active people and initiatives which may enrich our views of the social world.
You have a professional and civil experience that you’d like to share with colleagues, friends and social contacts.
You wish to find others like you…
Look for us here (http://placeforfuture.org) or email us at place.for.future -at- gmail.com!
The project is being carried out with the financial assistance of the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, CEE Trust.
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