Description
The purpose of the grant is to support the work of the Szeged Centre for Security Policy in providing training to representatives of civil society organisations (including NGOs), professional organisations, the social partners and local authorities from South-East Europe (Serbia – including Kosovo, Sandjac and Vojvodina –, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina), as well as from Ukraine. The training courses cover a series of topics based on two principle strands: ‘Municipalities, EU regionalism and institutional reforms’ (including the principles of self-governance; the tasks of municipalities; sustainable development; cross-border cooperation) and ‘The role of NGOs in the promotion of democratisation and regional security’ (including the relations between NGOs and CSOs on the one hand and state bodies and European institutions on the other; the role of such organisations in the areas of security and foreign policy, including regionalism and cross-border activities; and the representation and protection of minority groups or gender equality). The grant will be used to finance approximately 16 training courses for about 400 participants during which participants will receive information on the aforementioned topics, as well as provide an opportunity for course participants to network. The grant will finance the travel and accomodation costs of course participants, as well as organisational costs related to the organisation and running of the training courses.