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A group of former scholarship holders from Budapest to Chisinau gathered for three days of networking, lectures and trainings at the third annual Regional Alumni Conference for Open Society Institute Scholarship Programs. The theme of the conference focused on social activism.
Guests
Cosmin Alexandru, President, Asociatia Erudio, Romania
Miklós Bakk, Board Member, Soros Foundation, Romania
Anca Harasim, Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce Romania: Developing Partnerships between the NGO and Business Communities
Valeriu Nicolae, Senior Consultant, Open Society Institute
Daniel Pop, Senior Research Program Manager, OSI Education Support Program
Levente Salat, Executive Director, Ethnocultural Diversity Resource Center, Cluj-Napoca
Viorel Ursu, Senior Policy Officer Open Society Institute, Brussels
Alumni Presenters
Roundtable Discussion: “Volunteerism – Value and Opportunities” Corina Pintea, Romania, Undergraduate Exchange Program 2003-2004; Robert Antonescu, Romania, Undergraduate Exchange Program 2003-4
Panel Discussion: "Grassroots Activism and the Role of Networking" Mihaela Lupu, Romania, OSI Chevening University of Oxford, ‘Making a Real Difference in Life Back Home: How Could we Change the World?, Vitalie Dascal, Moldova, UEP 2005 / AGP 2008, “The Cooperation between OSI and Public Authorities as the Key to Successfully Implementing Small Community Projects”, Roland Müller, UEP 2003, "The Use of Web 2.0 and the Communications effort with Local Communities"
Panel Discussion: "Xenophobia and Combating Racism in Europe", Cristina Rat, Lecturer, Sociology Department, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, OSI Chevening University of Oxford 2003-4, Luciana Alexandra Ghica, OSI/FCO Chevening/University of Oxford Scholarships, 2005-6
Presentations
“Development Assistance and Women’s Activism: Perspectives from the Work of the United Nations Development Fund for Women in Southeast Europe” Raluca Maria Popa, Undergraduate Exchange Program, 2000-1
"The Rehabilitation of Collective Memory in ex-Soviet Space”, Film Screening + Discussion led by Viorica Olaru–Cemirtan, Moldova, Global Supplementary Grants Program 2005-8
“Bridging the Past and Present of Civil Society: a History of Civil Society in Romania”, Alexandra Gheondea-Eladi, Romania, OSI Chevening University of Warwick 2007-8
“Corruption and Anti Corruption –The Role of Civil Society Organizations”, Codru Vrabie, Romania, AUBG 1994-98
"Is the Economic Crisis Affecting the Work of the Civil Society Organisation in the Region and How?", Dumitru Vasilescu, Moldova, DAAD-OSI 2007-8
Summary
One of the central issues arising from the conference was the positive effect of networks and the effective leverage larger groups can elicit in their civic environment. A roundtable discussion led by Corina Pintea, Romania (Undergraduate Exchange Program, 2003-2004), and Robert Antonescu, Romania (UEP 2003-4), on the importance of the lessons learned through their volunteering experiences brought to light a desire to improve on the volunteering experience in the Eastern European region, and how best practices can be shared.
In a similar vein, grassroots sustainability and the maximizing of effective networks was brought forward by Mihaela Lupu, Romania, (OSI Chevening University of Oxford, 2007-8) Vitalie Dascal, Moldova, (UEP 2005 / AGP 2008) and Roland Müller (UEP 2003).
From highlighting how new technological advances such as Web 2.0 can be utilized to aid local communities to critiquing the communication stream between alumni and local authorities to successfully implement projects, alumni sought to address key issues which would make their civic engagement easier.
The theme of social activism also fired the thoughts of many alumni on issues which are close to their world. From a panel discussion focusing on combating racism and xenophobia in Europe, to a presentation examining the effects of the economic crisis on the NGO sector in Moldova, much food for thought was on offer for the alumni to address into the future.
Guest presentations included insight into the EU Neighborhood Policy by OSI Brussels’ Viorel Ursu, a discussion of sustainability issues from Dr. Levente Salat (Executive Director of the Ethnocultural Diversity Resource Center, Cluj-Napoca), and a look at business partnerships and the third sector from Anca Harasim, Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce Romania (and former Executive Director of the Soros Foundation/Romania).
A call by alumni themselves for training and workshop sessions was answered through interesting insights into advocacy strategies by Valeriu Nicolae, a senior consultant at OSI, as well as a very well-received workshop on successful public communication from Cosmin Alexandru, President of Asociatia Erudio, Romania.
Building on the social aspect of the conference and the ample networking opportunities presented, Scholarship Programs staff hope that participating alumni continue to develop their considerable knowledge and talent in the areas of civic engagement and continue their newly cemented ties into the future.
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