Monday 6 April 2015

House of Europe and Pagalba - Lithuanian partners of M4D



House of Europe 

In Lithuania the project will be implemented by House of Europe in close cooperation with the National NGDO Platform. We expect that it will help extend public discourse beyond Eastern Partnership countries and facilitate more sustainable discussions on developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Lithuanian journalists, engaged in the project, in particular upon their trips to several developing countries in Africa and Asia, will share their insights with the public on the sore issues there and interdependencies of global development. Exchange of expertise between project partners, especially with the Finnish Foundation for Media and Development (VIKES) and British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG), also setting up international relationships between journalists both within Europe and globally, will be beneficial for Lithuanian media in shaping their views on development.

House of Europe is a non-profit organisation established in Vilnius, Lithuania, active since 1999. It has an extensive track record in developing and implementing projects related to different EU policies. Upon Lithuania’s accession to the EU in 2004 and becoming a donor country, House of Europe together with other civil society organisations initiated the establishment of the National Non-Governmental Development Organisations Platform, officially registered in 2007.  The head of the organization chaired the Platform till 2009 and facilitated setting up relationships with relevant stakeholders at national and the EU levels, including MFA, Ministry of Education and Science, Lithuanian MEPs, CONCORD and TRIALOG, as well as strengthening the capacities of member organisations. 

We aim to increase public understanding about EU policies in the fields of education, environment, social affairs and development cooperation, to promote and strengthen participative democracy and civic engagement of different societal groups, to establish collaboration between Lithuanian civil society and professional organizations and those in other European countries. We also network with national media, interest groups, public institutions, NGOs, etc.

The organisation specialises in non-formal education and public information and communication. Until now the focus of its activities in the field of development cooperation has been raising awareness of relevant stakeholders, in particular decision makers, media, NGOs and the youth, on development policy. To this end, we have organised several conferences, round tables, workshops, trainings and information campaigns. It has worked out the guidelines for development education and is currently working on the Framework Document on Global Education.




Lithuanian National Non-Governmental Development Cooperation Organisations’ Platform - Pagalba

National Non-Governmental Development Cooperation Organisations’ Platform (Lithuanian NGDO Platform) brings together 19 Lithuanian non-governmental organisations working in the field of development cooperation and education. Major areas of activity of our member organisations are promotion of democracy, social policy, education, equal opportunities, healthcare, childrens’ rights, food security and sustainable development.

The Platform, mostly known as Pagalba (meaning assistance in Lithuanian) seeks to:

  •  increase public awareness on development cooperation issues;
  •  shape and implement Lithuanian and EU development cooperation policies;
  •  build an environment for Lithuanian NGOs to participate in international development cooperation;
  •  represent the Platform at Lithuanian institution, EU and international organisations; 
  • develop and strengthen the capacities of the NGDO Platform and its member organisations.

By the beginning of 2015 in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we are organizing the informational and awareness raising campaign for the European Year for Development (EYD). Through a variety of activities and a wide network of partners we aim to increase the understanding of Lithuanian civil society of the importance and relevance of the national and the EU development cooperation policy. To this end, a number of activities will be undertaken targeting national media, decision makers, NGDOs and the youth, in particular publicizing in popular radio and TV programs, integration of development issues into the syllabuses of Lithuanian universities and colleges as well as teacher training photocontest and exhibitions in Lithuanian cities.

Our recent achievements are:
  •  Advocacy of the interests of the civil society and inputs to the law of the Lithuanian Development
  • Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid and its post-legislative acts.
  • Advocacy on development cooperation during the Lithuanian Presidency at the EU Council
  • Public discussions on  the effectiveness of aid for politicy makers, academicians and NGO
  • representatives.
  • Development of online database  for finding partners among Lithuanian non-governmental organisations in the fields of development cooperation and development education.
  • Film screenings on international development at the human rights film festival Ad Hoc: Inconvenient Films public discussions in different Lithuanian cities.
  • Drafting of recommendations for decision makers concerning the post – 2015 agenda and Policy
    Coherence for Development in cooperation with international NGDOs .
  • Initiation of long-term and sustainable implementation of global education in both formal and non-formal education system in Lithuania, resulting in the Compact on Global Education currently underway



Find out more on www.pagalba.org/en/ and join us on Facebook  
We also stream the news of the main EYD channel on www.europa.eu/eyd2015/lt

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