YOUTH SOCIETY FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE BALKANS (YSPDB)
Address: Youth Municipal Center.20 Avksenty Velesky Str., Bulgaria.Plovdiv.4000.
Tel/fax: +359 32 62 22 78
Website: www.yspdb.org
E-mail: info@yspdb.org
The Youth Society for Peace and Development of the Balkans (YSPDB) was created in 1998 as an informal alliance of NGO leaders. In the middle of 2001 it was officially registered as a non-governmental organization according to Bulgarian legislature. Its members are students, young people and citizens who work for:
- Strengthening the stability on the Balkans and South East Europe;
- Encouraging and promoting of the creative process in arts and sciences;
- Encouraging and promoting the Bulgaria Cultural Heritage;
- Creation of new practices of sustainable development;
- Establishing of new models in the area of secondary, higher and civil education;
- Improving the intercultural dialogue and overcoming of ethnic differences;
- Respecting the human rights;
- Improving the dialogue between NGOs and local and national authorities.
The means for achieving the above stated aims are: exchanges, forums and conferences, information exchange, voluntary service, education initiatives, endowment campaigns, educational seminars, publication and dissemination of materials, assistance and organization of campaigns, development of project policy of NGOs, urging for new legal initiatives needed by the society, creation and support of civil clubs and initiatives for cultural heritage preservation. Each member of the Society has at least three years of NGO leader experience as well as experience in project implementation related to the above mentioned activities-and that is a guarantee for its successful work. The Society has continuous contacts with more than 70 international organizations and more that 100 organizations in Bulgaria. The society works actively with the National Student Councils and with the most active Students organizations in Bulgaria and in South-East Europe.
Since the beginning of 2003 the Society is part of the youth information network Eurodesk, with opportunity to exchange information with European NGOs. Within Bulgaria the Society is a partner of information centers, youth and civil clubs and NGOs working throughout the country.
YSDB is a member and co-founder of Plovdiv Youth Municipality Council. The YSPDB’s secretary general Stefan Posliyski is a president of the Youth municipal Council – Plovdiv.
Since 2003, YSPDB is an associate member of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and representative of the same in Bulgaria. A representative of the organization – Veselin Iliev is an EBCO board member and its representative to the European Youth Forum. In 2003 YSPDB is organizing promotional campaign on the CO right – www.cobg.net
YSPDB works on a number of projects in the following areas:
· Higher education – project “Students have rights too” (2003 till present), part of international initiative of South East European student organization that includes nation – wide representative sociological survey, coordination meetings with concerned institutions for reducing of the corruption in higher education, awareness raising campaign, supported by Open Society Institute – Budapest.
· “European Cultural Heritage – contemporary vision on the European Integration” (2004) – the project describe the European cultural heritage in Bulgaria and its influence on the EU integration of Bulgaria, supported by European Commission in Bulgaria - www.eubgheritage.org.
· Local governance - the Society works together with regional self – governance structures, gives logistic and creative support related to particular project, organizes educational seminars for municipal staff. The society has a consultative status in the local municipality on the field of youth policies.
· Culture forums - the Society is a co-organizer of the international culture forum “Festival of Light” (2001,2002,2003,2004,2005) – The idea of the forum is beginning from the started in 2000 year cultural exchange between Bulgaria and USA. The main idea of the project is “The culture against violence”. Today Festival of Light is orientated to Europe and the world.
· “Corruption or me” (2005) - the project is creating system for passing signals about corruption in higher education in Bulgaria - www.korupcia.net.
· In 2004 YSPDB is organized poster exhibition “The deadly Corp” in the United Nations building in New York (USA), presenting the process of destruction of landmines in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
· Recently implemented and approved Youth Exchanges on Youth Programme of the European Union:
- “PlayEUers” - exchange in province of Lecce (Italy) gathered about 150 young people from 15 members and pre-accession EU countries;
- Contact seminar of Bray Youth Service - Ireland;
- “EU Identity” initiative by Youth Programme of European Union in Lorca - Murcia (Spain);
- Youth Seminar on Action 5 of Youth Programme in cooperation with “Joves.net” - Valencia (Spain);
- Youth exchange in cooperation with AFSAI - (Italy). This project is a youth exchange activity where 15 young people from Italy hosted 15 young people from Bulgaria, sharing information about education and sport in their countries and working together to set the bases for a stronger awareness of the importance of sport in the young people’s mind.
- “Conscientious objection - like a tool for European Consciousness”, promotional campaign of the right of conscientious objection;
- “Youth Partnership for Common Future” - Action 5 training in Adana (Turkey);
- “Universal hug” – recovery program for children with parents victims of “September 11th”, supported by Rotary International;
- Student participation training in Tirana (Albania), organized by Open Society Institute (Budapest) – February, 2005;
- “European Constitution against violence” – working meeting in the European Parliament with collaboration with EBCO - European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, IFIAS – Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity and Amnesty International - April, 2005;
- Feasibility visit on Action 5 of Youth Programme of European Union for Action 1 International youth exchange “Eurostar pod Ralskem” in cooperation with REPER – Straz pod Ralkom (Czech Republic) – April, 2005;
- European Youth Forum study visit in Bulgaria – YSPDB has been a coordinator – April, 2005;
- “Old Europe, New Europe“ – Action 5 training in collaboration with Arciragazzi - Ferrara (Italy) – April, 2005;
- Youth Summit in Poland, organized by Council of Europe and European Youth Forum – May, 2005
- Development Plan 2007 - 2013 of Municipality Plovdiv - 13 members of Working groups, Youth quota – May, 2005;
- International youth seminar „Youth in action“ on youth leadership and active citizenship with main topic: The European Union Policy towards YOUTH workers, Alessandria della Rocca, Italy - May, 2005;
- Consultative meeting “Reconstructing youth in South East Europe – recognition, identity, access and inclusion”, organized by Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Bulgaria, European Commission, Council of Europe, Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, Sofia, Bulgaria - June 2005;
- “All different, All equal” symposium. The event gathers young leaders from active among Europe NGOs in order to prepare the next European Youth Campaign “All different, all equal”
- “Common future for a common goal” – Contact making seminar – Bulgaria