Baltic Sea NGO Forum

During the preparatory meeting for the Baltic Sea NGO Forum 2009 in Copenhagen yesterday Mr. Brask gave input to the preparation process with regard to the co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, and spoke of the role of NGOs for the democratic development of the EU. The next meetig of Baltic Sea Region NGO Forum will take place on 11 – 13 May in Latvia.

100 participants representing 11 countries around the Baltic Sea will gather at the Annual meeting – The Baltic Sea region NGO Forum  at this time in Latvia.

The Baltic Sea Region NGO Forum is meeting place for different cultures of the region, for establishing new contacts, to share practices and get fresh inspirations. Forum is the platform for expressing voice of civil society representatives towards supreme governing bodies.

What the Forum in Latvia will address:

Following to the tradition of the Forum, every year the Forum covers one of the actual issues of 5 themes – NGO participation and legislation, Environment and sustainable development, civil security, social inclusion, education and culture. The NGO Forums are held according the Presidency of The Council of Baltic Sea States. Till June 2008 it is turn of Latvia, therefore NGO Forum is organised in Latvia as well. Taking into account that the best result can be achieved by accumulating all the recourses in that case the topics for the NGO Forum are chosen by keeping the synergy between the political, governmental and civil society initiatives with purposes to achieve common aim – safe and high developed countries within the Baltic Sea region by keeping alive democratic traditions.

The Forum will address following topics:

1. NGO sustainability
2. Climate change
3. Social inclusion and human rights
4. Lifelong learning
5. Cultural Diversity

The draft program can be downloaded by clicking on below logo.