We are pleased to inform you that the General Assembly of the Association of Interbalkan Women’s Cooperation Societies (AIWCS) and of the UNESCO Center for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries will take place on November 6, 2008 in Burgas, following the invitation extended by the Women’s Democratic Union, who offered to host these two important events.
Following the communication among our organizations, we would like to reiterate the invitation we addressed to you, to join the above mentioned international NGOs. In view of this development, a delegation of 4 representatives of your organization is invited to attend the meetings scheduled on November 6, between 3.00 and 7.00 o’clock, p.m. Hospitality in Burgas is endorsed by the local organizers.
The official representative designated by your organization will be requested to make a brief presentation (5 minutes) of its mission and actions, as well as to hand over the names of one representative on the AIWCS Directing Board and one on the Board of UNESCO Center, respectively (elected by your own members, in accordance with your statutory provisions).
Please note that, like on previous meetings of the General Assembly, an International conference will follow, on November 7-8, 2008, in anticipation of our priority action on the coming three years. The theme of this international event is: “Social transformation in Balkan countries, multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue”,.
The event is organized by UNESCO Center for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries in partnership with the Association of Interbalkan Women’s Cooperation Societies (AIWCS), which is a non-governmental not-for profit regional network of women’s NGOs, registered in Thessaloniki, in 1992, accredited by UNESCO, by the United Nations Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC ), by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and by the Council of Europe, and with the support of Women’s Democratic Union in Burgas.
The Conference aims basically at promoting women’s NGOs better understanding of social transformation undergone by Balkan countries, with special focus on migration, urbanization and increasingly multicultural societies and at encouraging the civil society to contribute to the elaboration of strategies based on the balance between social cohesion and the respect for cultural diversity.
The program includes a variety of formats, like plenary sessions, panels of experts, round table debates and workshops, as well as cultural events and a one-day sights seeing tour of adjoining scenic locations and of historical sites in Nessebar (see also the attached program).
The main beneficiaries of the project will be the civil society and in the first place women’s NGOs in the target countries, who will be offered the know-how and the blueprint for action aiming at building solidarity and consequently at speeding up social transformation, with the means of intercultural dialogue and of respect for cultural diversity.
