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We would like to thank the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Club and its President Dzmitry Subtselny for printing this booklet
The book is a non-profit publication. All rights are reserved to EFUCA. It is possible to copy a part of the text by mentioning the source.
PREFACE
I dedicate this publication to my colleagues for over 25 years, together with whom we have built and stylized this edifice named the European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations.
I bow and light a candle in sign of gratitude for those who are no longer with us but are watching us from the sky. Thus, with all my acknowledgement I dedicate this publication to: Paula James, Yuri Borisikhin, Marialuisa String, Albert Rutter, Leonard Latkovskis.
Our path started in 1990, and throughout this period we tried to bring this movement of UNESCO Clubs in Romania, to create the first self-sustaining organisation, and finally, to build a Romanian Federation (together with Paula Iacob, the founding president and lawyer) hoping that we would also build a European Federation. Thus, I bring my gratitude and my acknowledgements for all the Secretaries General of the Romanian National Commission for UNESCO who have given their support for this movement. With their precious help we have managed to organise in Romania an international Congress of Clubs for UNESCO and 2 European Congresses, many Executive Councils, international or European. Through all our joint activities we created a tremendous transparency for our movement of Clubs for UNESCO. I could not have done this without the help of the Secretaries General: Mircea Ifrim, Victor Iancu, Alexandru Mironov, Sergiu Nistor and Ani Matei.
This year Romania celebrates 60 years of being a Member State of UNESCO. Thus, I am bowing and I am trying to emphasise through a limited number of words on a piece of paper the activity of the UNESCO Civil Society. This demonstrates that the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture could not exist without the help of the partners who bring solutions to the problematic of this millennium which is difficult, and at the same time believing in the power of HOPE. These 15 years have demonstrated through the quality of the projects and through the longstanding commitment to the common values and ideals that the future generations have examples or patterns that they can follow.
Our EFUCA temple has at its foundation the beauty of the thought that we are all part of the UNESCO constellation.
Daniela Popescu
CONTENT
Beginnings: The path towards the European Federation 6
The Constitution Congress of the EFUCA, Logs, 2001 12
The European Federation at its beginnings 18
The First Activities 20
The 2nd Congress of the EFUCA, Paris from 10 to 13 December 2008: Challenges, objectives
and prospects for FEACU 28
1st intermediate Congress of the Associations, Centers and UNESCO Clubs of the European
Region, Switzerland, Geneva 9-11 June 2011: Human Rights and Cultural Diversity 36
Third Congress of the European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations, Bucharest, Romania 29 November – 3 December 2012: The Cultural diversity – Europe’s
Wealth 43
International Meeting and 2nd Intermediate Congress of EFUCA, Torino, 11-13 September 2014 “Global Ethics and Equal Opportunities: Women’s Contribution to the Development of Europe and the Mediterranean” 52
Fourth Congress of the European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations, Minsk, 11-13 November 2016: UNESCO Clubs Movement in Europe: Past, Present and Future 65
Participation in other important EFUCA events 68
In place of conclusion 76
Visit Card 77
This book, as a document of the Federation, brings in the first plan a part of the most important events of the last 15 years of activity that I hold in my personal archive: the General Assemblies and the Intermediate Congresses from Geneva and Turin.
As it is known, in 2001 I edited together with Mihaela Varga – the Vice-President of the Romanian Federation of Clubs, Centers and Associations for UNESCO who, in her 25-year-experience in the UNESCO Civil Society, has participated in almost all major events of the European Federation – the book “The European Federation for UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations”. This enclosed all the documents starting from the creation of the European Federation, which took place in Romania. For all my colleagues who were not present at the constitution of the Federation I will reproduce a part of the materials presented in 2001 in order to celebrate together these delightful events from our organisation’s history.
The preliminary path to the foundation of EFUCA
Illustrated by some documents, the long way to this new federation could be taken as an example of the necessary perseverance to reach the constitution of a new unit of action in the field of the Civil Society.
It is known that there were other attempts to create a European Federation – the first one dating back twenty years ago. It is almost impossible to obtain quick results if the democratic ways are respected, and success can be obtained only through teamwork. By right, Mrs. Marialuisa Stringa and Mr. André Zwejacker were elected honorary co-presidents of the new federation, because they were the ones who had pursued this ideal with a profound belief and tenacity, and they succeeded in convincing a younger generation of their rightness. Thus, the Working Group came into being, in which people like Lionel Vinour, Silvio de Matos or Antonio Casares acted with enthusiasm and perseverance. Lionel, with his typical Cartesian spirit, has always had the wisdom of what is to be done and prepared. Silvio proved an amazing coagulating energy and Juan Antonio brought tenacity. Even from the beginning, Jean Pierre Dehouck has always supported us in a competent and efficient way, managing to moderate things whenever the case was.
So the Group became not only a working group, but also a group of friends who discovered with pleasure in sharing a lot of common values. Some of those are the respect for every human being and every culture, and the belief in the necessity of a democratic approach to every action you take part in.
The Group grew from the beginning, but also during the two years’ work, thanks to other people’s will to join us. The Catalonians, the Moldavians (who being stimulated by the new effervescence of the European UNESCO movement, have established a federation of their own), the Slovenians and the Hungarians, who unfortunately could not participate in the Constituent Assembly, the Croats, The UNESCO Club of Malta and others – all of them were conquered by the idea of creating a European Federation. Finally, one can consider that all the delegations that signed the Constitutive Document began to believe in the necessity of a European Federation, which would now allow us to develop our friendly relations.
We, the members of the Romanian delegation, despite the fact that being hosts imposed a lot of stressing work, felt this friendly atmosphere that governed at Busteni, even with those who did not join us in the new federation. We really hope to preserve these friendly relations and to develop them with the aim to enrich the direct relations between the UNESCO Clubs of the European Region. Because we believe that the success of the new federation should and will be measured by the multiplication of these direct relations and by the good example of acting.
The Working Group’s activity
During the European Conference of the UNESCO Clubs in Florence, November 1998, Daniela Popescu, representing the Romanian delegation, presented to the organizers, before the start of the conference, an Appeal for the Constitution of a European Federation:
APPEAL ADDRESSED TO THE NATIONAL FEDERATIONS OF UNESCO CLUBS, CENTRES AND ASSOCIATIONS
Animated by the desire to contribute to creating some efficient and representative European structures of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations,
Aware of the importance of a European dialogue, developed at the level of those non-governmental structures which intend to promote in their programs the ideas of UNESCO,
Confident that the National Federations of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations will consider useful any effort done for the purpose of establishing a European organization for the UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations movement,
Acknowledging that we are answering to a longing aspiration of European co-operation,
The National Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Association in Romania launched THE APPEAL FOR ESTABLISHING a European structure: THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF UNESCO CLUBS, CENTRES AND ASSOCIATIONS and proposes the following concrete actions:
- The European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations should be established during an Extraordinary European Conference of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations taking place between the 5th-7th of July, 1999 in Romania; all expenses related to organization will be supported by the Romanian part.
- Each National Federation interested to become a member of this structure should be represented by a delegation comprising maximum 3 persons.
3.Between the 1st-3rd July, 1999, the European Conference should be preceded by a preparing meeting attended by maximum 5 National Federations which had assumed the responsibility of the final versions of the necessary documents prepared for this Extraordinary Conference.
- In order to prepare the first draft of document, the same 4 National Federations should meet in February 1999, in Romania. These documents will be submitted until the 1st of March, 1999 to all the interested European Federations so they can formulate their observations.
- The European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations should detain a firm location and a Permanent Secretariat with a staff comprising 3 employees. Each of these 3 persons has to co-ordinate 1-2 European programs approved by at least 3 National Federations.
All the expenses related to the Permanent Secretariat will be supported via a special fund that will be supported by the National Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centers and Associations in Romania.
- The preparing meeting in February 1999 should take place in the presence of Mr. Patrick Gallaud, Secretary General of WFUCA and Mrs. Marialuisa String, Vice-President of WFUCA.
- Until the 16th of February, the federations interested in becoming members of this organization can request to be admitted.
The organizers of the Conference introduced in the program a round table dedicated to this subject. Several delegations expressed their interest in joining this initiative: the French, the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Russians, the Italians and the Belgians. There was a debate on the principles, a Working Group was established and a group’s reporter was designated in the person of Silvio Matos. The Working Group approved a second reunion in Romania.
The second meeting of the Working Group took place in Sinaia, in March 1999, in order to begin the concrete work. The delegations that participated were from Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Romania. The sketches were made from the statute and the programs viable for the development of the new structure. Thus, a program called “Knowledge of Europe” was conceived and an open letter addressed to all interested groups from the European region was prepared:
Dear friends,
It’s been more than ten years since the birth of the idea of a European Federation. In 1995, Sinaia, a meeting of the European representatives decided to make a decisive step in this sense by creating a Commission on the spot.
After issuing a call in this sense, only eight federations responded. Most of them were in favour of the idea of a European Federation.
In November 1998, at the European Conference in Florence, a workshop led to the conclusion that almost all representatives from twenty-four countries were willing to support the creation of a European structure. On this occasion, Romania launched an appeal in favour of the European Federation in order to accelerate the process.
A Working Group was created and countries were designated to make contacts and prepare the documents necessary to summon a constitutive reunion. At the invitation of the Romanian Federation, the Working Group met in Sinaia between the 4th and 7th of March 1999, in the presence of Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Romania; Russia was excused.
Having no doubt about your engagement on our side to finalize this ambitious project, we would like to send you, dear friends, our best thoughts.
Sinaia, 12th March 1999
The Working Group
The third meeting of the Working Group was conducted in Malaga thanks to the kindness of the Spanish Confederation; unfortunately, the Romanian delegation could not participate. The French, Italian, Belgian, Portuguese and Spanish delegations have prepared the first draft of the statute.
During the World Congress of WFUCA in Ekaterinburg, an informal meeting was organized, outside of the official work, where all the European delegations were invited and the Working Group presented its first steps and results. Many delegations affirmed that they were not prepared for the constitution of a new federation so the Working Group made a decision to delay the process and to postpone the date of the Constituent Assembly that was scheduled for October of the same year, in Paris. The Romanian delegation proposed another meeting of the Working Group in Romania; the proposal was accepted.
In Romania, in Busteni, April 2000, the Working Group successfully adopted the final forms of the drafts of the procedures and statute. The date and place for the Constituent Assembly was established: October 2000, Paris.
Another meeting of the Working Group and representatives of WFUCA’s Executive Board – Paul Ortega, President; Patrick Gallaud, Secretary General; George Christophides, Vice-president – initiated by the French Federation took place in Paris, in July 2000. Three candidatures for the Constituent Assembly were retained: France, Romania and Cyprus.
Again, some of UNESCO federations and clubs considered that the moment for a European Federation was still not favourable, or that a new structure was not necessary. This position led to the Hannover Document addressed to WFUCA’s president, George Christophides.
In order to respect their reticence, the Constituent Assembly was again postponed. Another meeting of several delegations who could not cancel their departure was held in Paris instead. It was decided to send the point of view of the organization favourable of the founding of a European Federation, through the voice of André Zwejacker, to the WFUCA’s Executive Board at its meeting in Bilbao, in November 2000.
WFUCA’s Executive Board decided to accept the candidatures of Romania and Cyprus to host the Constituent Assembly, in this order. WFUCA’s Secretariat was charged to send the official invitation and to receive the proposals for amendments to the procedures and statute. Some reserves were appeased in this way. The amendments were sent to the Romanian federation some days before the meeting and here they were structured by articles so that the Assembly could analyse them in logical order.
Letter Andre Zwejacker,
Honorary President of the French Federation of UNESCO Clubs,
addressed the participants of the Constituent Assembly of the European Federation of Associations, Centers and Clubs for UNESCO
Dear friends,
I would like to express our guests of the Romanian Federation of UNESCO Clubs, our thanks for having taken over the holding of the constituent assembly and the welcome we reserved. Let us congratulate ourselves of the large number of delegates and members present throughout Europe.
Drawing on the privilege of seniority - privilege or disability! – I will try to do a little history on the long genesis which should lead to the creation of the European Federation, retracing some dates.
already in 1970 Trogen, at a school-related clubs met in Europe, complementarity between schools (legitimate children of UNESCO) and clubs (natural children) was outlined. The creation of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Associations Centers in Paris 1981, taking the UNESCO classification, defined a European region and the election of members to represent the Executive Board.
In 1984, on the occasion of the International Year of Youth, a European meeting in Marly-le-Roi in France, allowed to coordinate activities in Europe centered on the themes of A.I.J. In 1990, Strasbourg premises of the Council of Europe, where a significant number of representatives of federations and clubs of Europe were present, final reflection was centered on the necessary coordination of the movement of clubs in Europe.
At the Congress of the World Federation in Sinaia in Romania 1995, a meeting was devoted to a round table on the project of creating a federation or a European coordination. Some volunteers are proposed to proceed with the project, notamment vice-president of the World Maria-Luisa String, Jean-Pierre and myself Dehouck. A questionnaire was sent to federations, mail exchanges took place, a debate was organized to Do fiftieth anniversary of UNESCO. But it was not until the meeting organized by the Italian Federation and WFUCA in November 1998 in Florence for that specific question and that it be brought to the agenda. It came out the formal establishment of a working group to prepare a draft constitution and operation. It meets in Sinaia on Romanian invitation in March 1999, which is masterminded a specific program focusing on the possible and feasible initiatives under the Knowledge of the name of Europe: European mobility program. Some months later, Malaga in May 1999, at the invitation of the Spanish confederation, Articles of projects are developed. Lack of time and meeting places did not allow the Yekaterinburg Congress validly explain the result of the work but an appointment was given for 2000. At the meeting in March Buşteni 2000, in welcoming places where we are today has been finalized with the statutes and proposed holding a constituent assembly. In order to have a preparatory consultation the French Federation has initiated a meeting in July 2000 UNESCO among members of the working group, Executive Board representatives of F.M.A.C.U: President Ortega, Vice President and Secretary General Christophides Patrick Gallaud, and Mrs. Robert Brigand unit of UNESCO Clubs.
About the location of the constituent assembly, Three proposals were made: in the order in France, Romania and Cyprus. The French federation has proposed to hold the assizes in Paris 26 to 29 October 2000 and prepared them. Successive and late defections, which I do not intend today to dwell, led to cancel the holding of the meeting. The project was immediately taken over by the Romanian federation and after a postponement of dates here we are!
laborious gestation say are we that must be, I believe, bring many answers I shall address one of them that seems relevant. It consists of all the mutations that affected Europe. Never probably this continent has experienced in the 20th century so many tragedies, dislocation and profound changes. Whether Europe after the First World War with the collapse of empires and the birth of new states, of Europe 1945 partly devastated, ruined, no real regulation of global peace with its massive population displacement, with this ideological and territorial division of Europe, the Cold War when two antagonistic Europes oppose and where UNESCO from 1954 was able to establish a bridge that allowed cultural exchanges and break isolation.
this in 45 years, up 1989-91 which marks the birth or rebirth of states. With the Yugoslav conflict, Those are 14 in full sovereignty states within 10 years.
It is a new Europe with a dynamic democratic hope that manifest such, access 40 states (ie double ago 20 years) to the Council of Europe and ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950. But parallel to this development, there are fears that recent conflicts - the war in Europe once thought unthinkable - have proved, the risks of intolerance, fundamentalism, segregation, ostracism against minorities, refugees, dignity of immigrants in search.
There's the, and there are statutes Reference, under the title "Knowledge of Europe", geographical knowledge, policy, social, cultural sharing by education effort, meetings, exchange, solidarity, that clubs should lead and conduct more in a European citizenship approach for a Europe of peace, cooperation and democracy. UNESCO Clubs, rich cultural diversity, riches des valeurs qu'ils défendent et de leur ancrage in the civil society associations au titre d'doivent a rôle jouer et saisir the opportunité here leur est deals.
Take an interest in Europe not mean creating a new isolation, a new partitioning of the world. No one would think to forego in the Europe-Africa glance, Europe-Méditeranée, Europe-Asia, Europe Atlantic. In the age of globalization, of globalization, more than ever, trade and relations with other regions of the world are essential and the role of WFUCA is to provide for it. The great questions of peace, developmental, of the environment, Heritage must be apprehended at various scales, from local to global.
Basically, there seems to be a relative consensus, one hand on the interest, or the need to promote, thanks to the existence of a federation, relations between national federations and clubs in Europe, conducive to a better understanding and development of trade. also consensus on the goals of such a federation, as set out in the articles presented.
There remain questions relating to the organization itself. Since a structure must exist, make it flexible, enabling initiatives to practice in a creative way, maintaining a minimum of autonomy within the framework of the World Federation.
Do not calquons our operation on the sclerosing scheme, inhibiting, and a rigid structure inter-governmental. Propose an operation aimed more directly to clubs.
What do we know of clubs in Europe? That's the big question! This is their diversity, their activities we derive our wealth. By experiment, I know that a national federation is that the clubs that federates. The clubs could live without the limit federations but the federations could happen clubs? It's fieldwork between clubs, facilitated by the federations, playing the role of initiator, relay, of advice, accompanying.
It is essential that the European federation allows the widest representation - inclusive other than legitimate - the diversity of situations in Europe, and facilitates admission procedures.
Allow this initiative, mobility, this life, is all the more necessary that the funds likely, but it is perhaps not the most important. Most important, it is the human resources and is in a dynamic of these human resources that other means are available.
There is probably a necessary census work that the computer tool facilitates what is, proposes, projecting, on overlapping themes and natural and thematic networking which can be reached themes that the international community, UNESCO, WFUCA can propose. The links to define with the European institutions and in particular the Council of Europe can promote specific projects and meetings for youth.
So will we shirk this opportunity to create the European Federation of Associations, UNESCO Clubs and Centres, a federation and not competitive antagonist of the World Federation but to, rich complementarity and mutual development? An open federation and inviting to all that want to participate in the promotion of UNESCO's ideals.
The time has come, I think so.
André Zwejacker
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