Legacy
There is a tradition within the European Union to arrange a Conference each semester that is focused on Civil Society and Democracy. One Conference will not change the environment but a continuous effort will bring about change. Therefore we give some links back to earlier events, which has been important when NGOforum09 was conceived.
During the French EU-Precidency, the autumn of 2008, the Conference ”EUROPE FOR CITIZENS FORUM - Participation for making a Difference“ was arranged in La Rochelle.
The key messages of the Forum in a nutshell
1. Civic Participation should be made a subject on its own
2. Civic participation confers vitality and legitimacy to the European democratic system
3. Mobility is one of the most effective tools to promote civic participation in the EU context
4. Civic participation contributes to the attainment of a common European identity
5. Strengthening participatory democracy means strengthening representative democracy too
6. The Europe for Citizens Programme should be accompanied by a relevant policy
7. New generation “e-participation” tools, in allowing controversy and disagreement, present a particular challenge for the “consensus-oriented” EU Institutions
8. Contemporary crisis and long term preoccupations are both a challenge and an opportunity in terms of civic participation
During the Czech EU-Precidency, spring 2009, the Conference “Europe of engaged citizens – resources and sustainability” was arranged in Brno. It had a stronger focus on finance issues and the current economic crisis.
Recommended strategy of the NGOs from the Czech event:
1. Take the opportunity to broaden your base of support and your constituency
2. Plan ahead, forecast your futureincome over the next couple of years and plan accordingly
3. Build partnerships and constructively engage with the government, private corporations and other NGOs
4. Focus on structural changes, cost-cutting and boosting efficiency
5. Keep marketing your organisation – this is exactly the wrong time to pull back
6. Push the EU to reform its funding procedures for NGOs
