At the beginning of July, information arrived that the “Green Chair” mechanism had received support from the ECO-SYSTEM program in the second cycle of support. The project “Active “Green Chair” for greater participation of women and men in decision-making processes at the local and national level” will be implemented by the Foundation BFPE in partnership with the members of the “Green Chair” mechanism: the Center for Modern Skills, which will again be the main partner organization; Ambassadors of Sustainable Development and the Environment; Ecological Association “Zeleni Sad” and Aarhus Center Novi Sad.
Introductory training
As always, the ECO-SYSTEM project team has gathered all the networks it supports. Thus, an introductory training was organized in Zrenjanin from July 11 to 13 for members of 13 networks of organizations supported by the ECO-SYSTEM program. This was a good opportunity to get to know the topics, projects, and activities that other networks will implement in the field of environmental protection. This was also an opportunity to present our activities and ideas. By participating in various workshops, mutual knowledge of the organizations was improved. We believe that the members of the networks will further connect both on the territorial and thematic levels. We expect a much more dynamic exchange of information and mutual support in campaigns and local activities.
The second program cycle
The “Green Chair” network continues its work on increasing citizens’ participation in decision-making processes with the project “Active “Green Chair” for greater participation of women and men in decision-making processes at the local and national level”. The project will last from July 1 to December 31, 2022. This project will help build additional internal capacities and increase the cohesion of our network members. It will enable the establishment of a volunteer and the expert team as a form of support for the activities of network members. This will add value to all organizations, even those that are not part of the “Green Chair” network. We will continue to deal, as a network, with the topics of gender equality, women’s rights, and environmental protection. We will try to further increase the number of readers of the Green Bulletin. We will establish a minimum of 5 green chairs at the local level, continuing cooperation with the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities.
Program
The ECO-SYSTEM program supports reforms in environmental protection in the Republic of Serbia. The program’s mission is to help implement the European Union (EU) acquis by more actively involving civil society organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders in society. The program was created in the desire of the Young Researchers of Serbia to help organizations prepare for more serious undertakings and new initiatives in the field of environmental protection. Through the improvement of organizational and financial capacities, but also by encouraging cooperation within the environmental protection sector, their wish is for CSOs to provide the additional driving force needed to implement reforms in this field.
The ECO-SYSTEM program of strengthening citizen association networks is implemented by the Young Researchers of Serbia, and is supported by Sweden. It represents the main component of the ECO-SYSTEM project: Support for reforms in environmental protection. The project started in January 2020 and lasts for three years.
