sprijinita de Guvernul si societatea civila din Austria

Intre 31 mai si 3 iunie a.c., Academia Europeana din Viena (Europaische Akademie Wien - EAW) a organizat o Conferinta sub genericul "See You Tomorrow" in care reprezentantii societatii civile din 14 tari ale Europei Centrale si de Sud-Est s-au putut intalni cu parlamentari europeni, oameni politici, bancheri si profesori universitari din Austria. Principala tema a dezbaterii a fost stabilirea unei strategii comune de actiune a membrilor FIME, ai societatii civile din tarile mentionate, strategii care sa accelereze si sa faca cat mai lin procesul de reconstructie si consolidare a stabilitatii in Europa de sud-est.

Cu aceasta ocazie, la initiativa EAW, s-a constituit Reteaua de Cooperare intitulata SCENE (South and Central Europe Network), retea care va actiona in cadrul FIME, dar cu sprijinul si al altor parteneri si sponsori externi in vederea dinamizarii activitatilor de informatie si educatie europeana ale cetatenilor din statele vizate, in scopul realizarii unei veritabile unificari europene integrale.

Proiectele noii retele vor fi finantate in principal cu sprijinul Ministerului Federal al Educatiei si ale organizatiilor partenere ale acestuia. Aceste proiecte vor antrena in derularea lor reprezentantii scenei politice, economiei si ai culturii din tarile-tinta, bazandu-se pe colaborarea tuturor segmentelor societatii civile constiente si active in cursul procesului de pregatire a realizarii Europei unite.

La aceasta reuniune, Romania a fost reprezentata de o delegatie din partea Casei Europei din Bucuresti. La sugestia Directorului pentru Relatii Externe al Bancii Austria-Creditstalt, Dl Ivo Stanek, Casa Europei din Romania s-a oferit sa promoveze si sa contribuie direct la infiintarea unie filiale la Bucuresti a Clubului European, organizatie infiintata la Viena in 1991 care reprezinta o platforma pentru expertiza, intercomunicare si schimb de expertiza in favoarea indeplinirii cu succes a integrarii europene ca proiect de solidaritate intre toate tarile de pe continent.

Pentru cei interesati, atasam textul integral al Declaratiei de Intentie adoptate de reprezentantii societatii civile reuniti in cadrul retelei SCENE.

Departamentul de Relatii Publice al Casei Europei

Reprezentantii Caselor Europei si ai altor centre de educare si informare europeana care au luat parte la conferinta "See You Tomorrow" in Viena intre 31 mai si 3 iunie 2001

felicita organizarea acestei conferinte cu sprijinul Comisiei Europene si in cooperare cu Federatia Internationala a Caselor Europei (FIME);

sunt in acord asupra faptului ca procesul de largire a Uniunii Europene este ireversibil si are un rol fundamental pentru pacea, securitatea si prosperitatea europeana. Ei considera acest fapt o continuare fireasca a proiectului vizionar de realizare a pacii prin integrarea economica si politica a Europei;

sunt pe deplin convinsi ca natiunile si tarile europene care se inca nu se constituie ca participanti la procesul de extindere a Uniunii Europene sunt parte integranta a Europei, a istoriei, politicii si culturii europene;

evidentiaza contributia pe care Casele Europei si alte centre de educare si informare europeana o pot aduce procesului de integrare europeana. Educarea si informarea, alaturi de intruniri si schimburi sunt preconditii indispensabile pentru intelegerea, aceeptarea si sustinerea procesului de integrare;

subliniaza necesitatea crearii unor retele intre tari, orase, cetateni si regiuni in Europa centrala si de sud-est nu doar prin extinderea mijloacelor de transport si schimb de bunuri, dar si prin investitii in activitati de cooperare sociala si culturala transnationala;

fac apel la protagonistii politicii, economiei, culturii si societatilor din Europa centrala si de sud-est pentru promovarea proiectelor si initiativelor de cooperare si pentru sprijinirea activitatii Caselor Europei si a altor centre de educare si informare europeana.

Din aceste motive participantii isi declara intentia de a adanci si extinde cooperarea in scopul de a face, pe de o parte, masurile si programele pe care le deruleaza accesibile unui numar mai mare de cetateni, pentru a face resursele lor materiale si nemateriale disponibile pentru uzul comun iar, pe de alta parte, pentru a deschide accesul comun catre noi resurse posibile.

Participantii confirma intentia de a integra mijloacele si posibilitatile de care dispun intr-o platforma comuna urmand a fi extinsa in cadrul Federatiei Internationale a Caselor Europei (FIME), dar si impreuna cu alte centre in cadrul unei retele europene de informare si educare.

Viena, 2 iunie 2001

Vienna, 31st May to 3rd June 2001

The representatives of the Europe Houses and of other European education and information centers who have taken part in the conference "See You Tomorrow" in Vienna from 31^st May to 3^rd June 2001,

welcome that this conference in Vienna has been organized with the support of the European Commission and in co-operation with the International Federation of Europe Houses (FIME);

agree that the enlargement process of the European Union is irreversible and that it has a fundamental significance for peace, security, and prosperity in Europe. They consider it the logical continuation of the great vision of a peace project through Europe‘s economic and political integration;

they are convinced that the European countries and nations, that do not yet form part of the enlargement process of the European Union, are an integral part of Europe, the European history, politics, and culture;

emphasize the contribution that Europe Houses and other European education and information centers can make to European integration. Education and information as well as meetings and exchange are the indispensable preconditions for understanding for, acceptance of and sustainability of the integration process;

underline the necessity of networking between the countries, cities, citizens and regions in central and southeast Europe, not only by expanding the ways for transport and exchange of goods, but also by investments in activities with a transnational social and cultural cooperation;

call upon the players in politics, economy, culture and societies in central and southeast Europe to promote joint projects and initiatives and to support the work of Europe Houses and of other European education and information centers.

For these reasons the participants declare their intent, to deepen and expand the cooperation, in order to make their measures and programs accessible to a larger circle of citizens on the one hand, and in order to make their material and non-material resources available for mutual use and make common access to new resources possible, on the other hand.

The participants confirm their intention to develop their means and possibilities further into common platform, that are to be expanded within the framework of the International Federation of Europe Houses (FIME) but also together with other centers into a working network of European information and education.

Vienna, 2nd June 2001

6. Memberships

SCENE is open to all FIME member institutions. Its focal point is, however, Central and Southeast Europe, especially the geographical area covered by the INTERRREG/CADSES (Central Adriatic Danubian South Eastern European Space)programme. SCENE will submit its application to INTERREG/CADSES in due time.

In order to facilitate the implementation of SCENE membership will be restricted preliminary to one member institution per country. Once established other members may be accepted.

Member institutions outside the INTERREG/CADSES area may fully co-operate although it is most unlikely that they may benefit from INTERREG funds in future. Their know how and expertise will be highly appreciated and they may also help to disseminate matters SCENE is concerned with.

7. Partners

At the Vienna "See you Tomorrow" conference some institutions have expressed their interest to co-operate with scene and support the goals of the network.

These are in particular:

IPI/SEEMO (International Press Institute/Southeast Europe Media organisation)
IPI is the greatest global umbrella organisation of independent media, SEMO is a branch or associate of IPI covering the area of Southeast Europe

EUROPE CLUBS, are informal gatherings of individuals interested in European integration organised by Bank Austria. This bank has a net of branch offices in central and south-east Europe and has already started to establish Europe Clubs in Kiev and Budapest.

COMPRESS, running liaison offices of the City of Vienna in many central and south-east European Capital cities.

Other institutions may follow.

8 Projects in Realisation

8.1 Talks have started to establish Europe Clubs in co-operation with the Europe Houses in Zagreb and Bucharest (both in realisation). Sofia and Belgrade will follow soon.

8.2. Regular seminars for journalists, twice a year alternating in Vienna and other places in the SCENE region, creating an award for publishers/publications

The first seminar is to be started end of January 2002 in Vienna.

8.3. A conference on the question of the EU foreign policy toward Southeast Europe is scheduled in Vienna for the end of April 2002

8.4. A conference of capital cities, as initiated by Europehouse Bucharest.

9. Further projects

The preparatory meeting held in Vienna in June 2001 has produced some project ideas that might be realised within SCENE.

Among them:

• "Virtual SCENE" – Internet site to present SCENE and communicate SCENE-work.
• "Link Diversity", initiated and presented by Europehouse Sarajevo to the Vienna conference, may be communicated thorough the SCENE network.
• A training project for interest groups to enhance their lobbying skills in European matters,
• bilateral teacher seminars
• Neighbourhood co-operation: conference for NGOs and organisations of the civil society aiming at identifying, planning, financing and realising cross-border projects.

Agenda
was adopted unanimously

Minutes of last meeting
was adopted unanimously

Activities since last meeting

Europe clubs

some members have been asked to support the Europe Club network of HVB. Chances for realisation exists at the EH Zagreb, Belgrade and Bucharest.

Developing European Values Vienna (26^th - 31^st January 2002)

Successful meeting of 20 participants from 11 countries. Results: good media coverage through most of the papers, news agencies and RTV stations represented. Possible access to media for SCENE members and FIME. Written contributions of participants will be published soon. Planned follow up in Croatia in autumn.

• Seminar on "European Governance" in Bucharest, Romania.

• Early-Warning NGO unit. Project idea by EH Bucharest. Realisation within SCENE was considered useful. Efforts may be made to link this idea to OSCE based initiatives like Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC).

• Seminar "Changing Security" in Vienna

A programme was distributed and discussed. Invitation will be expanded to the EH Tivat/Montenegro.

The possibility of a proposal to the INTERREG III B programme was discussed. In this point the question of the procedures and further development of SCENE was included. It was agreed that European Academy Vienna as leading institution should prepare a proposal to the above mentioned INTERREG-programme. A call for proposals is expected for May 2002.

The proposal will contain a possible programme structure as follows

A.    Information SCENE

Support and organise workshops, seminars and conferences. Contents will be co-ordinated by EA Vienna jointly with SCENE members. Contents will be oriented on European information and education covering the enlargement process and strategies to include other countries into the integration process.

There will be two sectors:

A1 projects fully organised and financed by SCENE

A2 SCENE co-financed seminars

B.    Media SCENE

Permanent media conference twice a year alternating in Vienna and a location to be identified. Will reflect the media's role in awareness building and understanding of European issues.

C.    Institution SCENE

Supports European Education Centres in the region and will therefore:

• initiate the foundation of Europe Houses in areas, region and countries without a Europe House.
• Help new Europe Houses in preparing the access the FIME
• Support candidate members of FIME in programme and structure building in order to enable full membership to FIME.

D.    Virtual SCENE

• web presentation
• newsletter and other publications
• "virtual" projects (conferences etc)
• intranet information and communication system, including project development

SCENE members in EU countries within the area covered by Interreg III B are: EA Gorizia, EH Thessaloniki and EA Vienna. Other FIME member institutions in EU countries may function as "silent partner" and provide their know-how and experience to SCENE.