Non profit
February 2010
A Vita Europe selection of civil society events around Europe.
5-7 February 2010, Cochin, India
World Peace Conference
This conference is hosted by Rotary District 3201.
The central aim of the Conference is to create a forum in which all stakeholders in peace and education will have an opportunity to learn from one another and consult together on how to create safe and healthy learning environments. Building a culture of peace with an ability to decrease the rate and seriousness of terrorism, inter-ethnic tension and conflict, gang activities, vandalism, criminal activities in the educational institutions and for educating Youth, in the principles and skills of peace-based leadership, decision-making, and conflict resolution focusing the value based education.
The primary goal of the conference is to contribute to the worldwide efforts to create a civilization of peace and to create leaders of Youth as ambassadors of Peace. Essential to this undertaking is life-longpeace education at home, in schools, and in the community, with its focus on the integral role of all members of society—children, youth, and adults.
http://worldpeaceconference.in/conference.html
5-7 February 2010, Terni, Italy
“Strada facendo” 2010 (“While walking” 2010)
This is the fourth edition of “Strada facendo”, an initiative on social policies organized by Cnca, Gruppo Abele (Abele Group) and Libera.
The Coordinamento Nazionale Comunità di Accoglienza (CNCA – National Coordination Community of Welcome) is a Federation to which about 260 organizations from all Italy join. It is present in all sectors of hardships and marginalization, aiming to promote citizenship rights and social welfare.
Gruppo Abele is a non profit organization coping with Hiv, alcoholism, immigration, jail, prostitution, people with no fixed abode, maladjusted youths, mental illness, various forms of loneliness… It provides relief services and various cultural investments (magazines, a publishing house, training, prevention and educational support proposals).
“Libera. Associations, names and numbers against mafias”, was born in1995 with the purpose of involving and supporting all those who are interested in the fight against mafias and organized crime. Libera is presently a network of more than 1,200 associations, groups and schools, committed to build up organizational synergies between the political and cultural local realities capable of promoting a culture of lawfulness.
At “Strada facendo”, on Saturday 7, working groups dedicated to various issues will take place (work and unemployment, welfare, right to a home, migrants’ denied rights, youth policies, jail and criminal rules, National Health Service).
http://www.libera.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/1774
9 February 2010, Sheffield, United Kingdom
How to negotiate during commissioning processes
Participants will learn how to support groups who are preparing to enter into negotiations and how they can negotiate on behalf of the sector to create opportunities for third sector public service delivery.
The following topics will be covered:
– Building confidence in the strength of what the third sector has to offer
– Developing a group’s Unique Selling Point
– Understanding the commissioner
– How and when support providers can act as a ‘broker’
– Working through likely negotiation scenarios
The following learning outcomes will be achieved:
– Increase participants’ understanding of the key skills required in order to achieve genuine ‘Win – Win’ outcomes to negotiation.
– Increase participants’ skills to assist third sector organisations in tactically managing and engaging with Commissioners during negotiations and re-negotiations.
– Build participants’ understanding of the wider picture in which opportunities might arise.
– Increase participants’ ability to help third sector organisations develop their own unique selling points (USP).
http://www.acevo.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=1335
To find out about Acevo’s conferences, workshops and training sessions visit:
http://www.acevo.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=227
http://www.acevo.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=1043
10-11 February 2010, Rome, Italy
ABI, CSR Forum
The CSR Forum, at its fifth edition, is the annual ABI conference dedicated to corporate social responsibility. ABI, acronym for Italian Bank Association, is a non-profit voluntary association which promotes inside civil society and inside bank and financial systems awareness of social values and behaviours inspired to entrepreneurship principles and to the realization of a free and competitive market. The aim of this new edition of the Forum will be to understand if the CSR knowledge, procedures and typical tools, that have been developed to date, can improve traditional models’ ability to correctly assess economic and financial phenomena and, if so, how we can integrate them; if they can help identify risks and opportunities and, in general, if we can build on the CSR practices in order to meet the current need for enhanced transparency.
All individuals and firms working in the field of corporate social responsibility must be committed to sharing and integrating knowledge and practices, which have been developed to date, with respect to typical banking and business activities, in order to identify and quantify non-financial criteria and ensure that these criteria are taken into account by managers when managing their company and by the market when assessing a company’s financial soundness. Therefore, in the current environment, it becomes apparent that CSR plays a key role in favouring transparency in corporate management and marketing; CSR also enables firms to control risks more effectively and favours long-term market stability.
www.abieventi.it/eventi/1033/forum-csr-2010
10-12 February 2010, Madrid, Spain
Be smart, be sustainable – Restructuring the city of tomorrow
This meeting is organized by Eurocities, the network of major European cities which brings together the local governments of more than 130 large cities in over 30 European countries. Eurocities provides a platform for its member cities to share knowledge and ideas, to exchange experiences, to analyse common problems and develop innovative solutions, through a wide range of Forums, Working Groups, Projects, activities and events.
Eurocities gives cities a voice in Europe, by engaging in dialogue with the European institutions on all aspects of EU legislation, policies and programmes that have an impact on cities and their citizens.
Under the auspices of the Spanish EU Presidency, EUROCITIES’ Forums on Economic Development and Environment will hold a joint event to debate how cities can rethink their role and structure against today’s challenges of climate change and recession.
The meeting will look at strategies that cities are adopting to address climate targets and improve economic performance. Presentations will be given on the various measures which cities are taking such as investments in green jobs, eco-innovation, greening SMEs and use of appropriate planning tools in order to maintain and improve standards of sustainable and economic development in today’s financial context.
11 February 2010, Brussels, Belgium
Ifri 2010 Annual Conference of the Energy Program
“Energy, the Economy and Environment – Start of a New Decade”
The French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) is the main French independent research and debate institution dedicated to international affairs.
Ifri Energy Annual Conference will feature Thierry de Montbrial, Ifri’s managing director, Günther Oettinger, Commissioner-designate for Energy, Alfonso Gonzalez-Finat, Spokesman of the Spanish Presidency at the Secretary of State for Energy, Ministry of Industry, of Tourism and of Trade (tbc) and Pierre Gadonneix, World Energy Council’s President.
The conference is divided into four sessions:
Session I: Energy and Climate Policy Scenarios for 2020
Session II: How to mesh investments and recovery?
Session III: How to mesh Industrial Competitiveness and Emission Reduction Targets?
Session IV: Beyond Copenhagen?
http://www.ifri.org/index.php?page=contribution-detail&id=5811&id_provenance=79&lang=uk
12-13 February 2010, Brussels, Belgium
EU Studies Fair 2010
This fair is organized by European Voice, a weekly newspaper with an independent view of the EU. European Voice’s mission is to promote informed debate, openness and progress in the EU and the newspaper has become essential reading for the EU regulatory and political affairs communities.
?Published by The Economist Group since 1995, it is not tied in any way to a member state, party or point of view.
European Voice has ever since its launch been at the forefront of providing in-depth coverage on European postgraduate studies.
The ‘Careers’ section in European Voice carries up-to-date content on education policy as well as courses from the most prestigious universities across the board.
EU Studies Fair 2010 is a two- day education fair and networking event bringing together prospective students, universities, academic institutions and business professionals. Universities will be present offering postgraduate programmes in EU and International Relations, Business and Law. Corporations, consultancies, law firms and EU Institutions will be presenting internship and career opportunities.
http://www.europeanvoice.com/page/eu-studies/1277.aspx
15-19 February, Geneva, Switzerland
Project Cycle Management Compact
This comprehensive course, organized by NGO Management School Switzerland, provides fast-track training on project management. The NGO Management School Switzerland was set up in 2007 by a group of people in Switzerland and the Philippines in response to a growing demand by NGOs and individuals for training in NGO management and organisational development. The School is a non profit institution. Its mission is to assist NGOs in the North and the South in developing sustainable management capacity to take effective action for the benefit of the communities or cause they serve.The course is designed for practitioners in project management with at least one year of experience, and who have either not yet obtained basic training, or not yet on all subjects of the project cycle. This course provides training on all phases of the project cycle in a compact format: Needs assessment, designing and planning a project, monitoring the implementation of the project, and preparing an evaluation.
http://www.ngoms.org/pcmcompact.htm
22 February 2010, London, United Kingdom
Towards a Shared Vision for Migrant Integration in European Cities-
Integrating Cities IV conference
This is the fourth conference of the Integrating Cities process.
The Integrating Cities process was launched in Rotterdam in 2006 and is a partnership between EUROCITIES and the European Commission to promote the implementation of the Common Basic Principles on Integration at local level. It is based on a conference series and a programme of work led by EUROCITIES in close cooperation with the European Commission’s DG Justice, Freedom and Security.
This conference, organized by Eurocities, will explore the shared vision that leaders of Europe’s big cities have on immigrant integration. Political highlights will include a ‘Mayors Debate’ on the theme, and the launch of the ‘Integrating Cities Charter’, which will underline the commitment and leadership of Europe’s cities in addressing migrant integration through their roles as policymakers, service providers, buyers of good and services and employers.
22-23 February 2010, Geneva, Switzerland
Exit Strategies: Effective Programme Disengagement
This two-day course is organized by NGO Management School Switzerland.
The NGO Management School Switzerland was set up in 2007 by a group of people in Switzerland and the Philippines in response to a growing demand by NGOs and individuals for training in NGO management and organisational development. The School is a non profit institution. Its mission is to assist NGOs in the North and the South in developing sustainable management capacity to take effective action for the benefit of the communities or cause they serve.
Before phasing out humanitarian and development programmes or projects, it is crucial to develop a sustainable disengagement strategy to withdraw responsibly. A disengagement strategy, also known as exit strategy, should be part of any programme or project plan. The purpose of an adequate disengagement strategy is to plan and achieve the sustainability of a programme after its end and to deliver to its stakeholders the expected results corresponding to the original program objectives.
The disengagement strategy planning course is addressed for both emergency and development programmes. This course focuses on:
Ensuring sustainability of humanitarian and development interventions by developing and integrating an appropriate strategy and exit plan in project proposal development,?
Developing monitoring and follow-up tools for the implementation of the disengagement plan of action,?
For programmes or projects which need to be ended within a very short period of time: How to assess such situations and develop a fast-track approach with the involvement of all main stakeholders.
http://www.ngoms.org/disengagementcourse.htm
22-26 February 2010, Geneva, Switzerland
Essentials of NGO Management – How to manage and lead an NGO
This comprehensive introductory five-day course, organized by NGO Management School Switzerland, provides participants with core knowledge, practical skills and tools to manage and lead effectively a non profit organization.
The NGO Management School Switzerland was set up in 2007 by a group of people in Switzerland and the Philippines in response to a growing demand by NGOs and individuals for training in NGO management and organisational development. The School is a non profit institution. Its mission is to assist NGOs in the North and the South in developing sustainable management capacity to take effective action for the benefit of the communities or cause they serve.
On day one, the participant will first learn about the history and principal types of development cooperation and humanitarian aid, the main actors involved and their different approaches to development. The participant will then discuss perspectives and challenges of sustainable development. On days two and three, the focus will be on Results-Based Management, which is the dominant management approach of most organisations and donors, and on the project cycle. The participant will learn the basics of how to make a needs assessment, how to design and plan a project, and how to assess whether the project is on track and what he has achieved. Day four will introduce the participant on how to prepare successful fundraising approaches and grant proposals. Day five will be dedicated to fostering good communication, skilful leadership and professional human resource management.
23-24 February 2010, Bilbao, Spain
First Annual Conference of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling
Combating climate change and securing energy supply are tomorrow‘s key challenges, heating and cooling with renewable energy will play a vital role in tackling these. For the first time the entire European community of industrial and research stakeholders from the biomass, geothermal and solar thermal sectors will get together in Bilbao at the First Annual Conference of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling.
In October 2008, the EU Commission officially endorsed the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETP). It plays a decisive role in evaluating the huge potential of biomass, geothermal and solar thermal energy, defining research needs and promoting renewable energy sources in the field of heating and cooling – an area that accounts for around half of Europe’s final energy consumption.
By focusing on a newly developed common vision for renewable heating and cooling, this conference provides a unique opportunity for research and industry players to gain valuable insights into the leading edge technologies involved in the exciting market development of the European heating and cooling sector.
http://www.rhc-platform.org/cms/index.php?id=56
More events for this month to come…
If you would like your event to be included, please contact Cristina Barbetta
