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Balkan Rock Council - Network strategy 2008-2009 |
The FRESTA programme In 1999, the Danish government established the FRESTA fund as a department under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. FRESTA is a Danish abbreviation for peace and stability. The FRESTA initiatives provides support to democratic institutions and structures, endeavours to strengthen civil society, works specifically in support of concrete reconciliation activities, and promotes cross-border activities. During the last years special emphasis has been given to South Eastern Europe, but the FRESTA concept/initiative is in principle global. To see an overview over all FRESTA supported activities.
The South Eastern Europe FRESTA programme (SEE programme) is a specific activity under the general FRESTA programme.
In 1999 The FRESTA secretariat invited Danish partners with experience in development and democratisation to take part in developing a civil society programme for the South Eastern Europe. Four components were identified as crucial for development of democracy, peace and stability - Human Rights, Refugees, Youth and Media. The Danish partners that are involved in the programme are the Danish Association for International Co-operation, Danish Refugee Council, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Baltic Media Centre, Danish Youth Council and Danish School of Journalism to participate in establishing a coherent regional programme for Sout h Eastern Europe.
In December 1999, following a series of fact-finding missions to the region, a pilot project was initiated with partners from South Eastern Europe. Since that the programme has been developed into an on-going activity with settled structures and strategies. Under the SEE FRESTA programme support is given to collaborative regional civil society efforts within the four chosen focus areas - Human Rights, Refugees, Youth and Media. Through the measures of cross-border civil society networking it is the aim to promote conflict prevention and democratic development in South Eastern Europe. The programme brings together civil society organisations and support networking between organisations within media, human rights, youth and refugees from South Eastern Europe with the aim of creating innovative constellations of cross-boundary collaboration. Regional networks have been established in order to develop joint and crosscutting activities that can promote democracy and peaceful coexistence.
www.fresta.org