Welcome to the first issue of EPF's E-bulletin!

EPF is proud to launch the first issue of our E-bulletin, which will bring you news and updates on our porgrams in the South Caucasus on a regular basis. This issue highlights EPF's contribution to European integration and strengthening ties between the South Caucasus and its neighbors.

Eurasia Partnership Foundation's (EPF) mission is to empower people to effect change for social justice and economic prosperity through hands-on programs, helping them to improve their communities and their own lives. Read more...

European IntegRation:

European Neighborhood Policy Civic Dialogue

The EU's decision to expand its borders to the shores of the Black Sea, brings with it opportunities and challenges in its relations with its neighbors in the South Caucasus. Recognizing its increased stake in the stability, prosperity, and security of the South Caucasus, the EU decided to extend its European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The ENP includes mechanisms designed to intensify relations with and to promote the progressive integration of countries bordering the EU.

All three countries of the Caucasus have concluded ambitious bilateral ENP Action Plans; however, regional cooperation remains an emphatic priority in all three documents. It is here that NGOs can play a key role in facilitating cooperation across the region through the exchange of ideas on issues that impact all three countries. Moreover, NGOs can offer policy expertise to their respective national governments on select regional issues, thereby assisting them in achieving their ENP-related goals.

Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) has completed Stage One of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Civic Dialogue Program jointly with three local partner NGOs in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Regional conferences and a series of stakeholders' meetings within the framework of this program identified the topics of waste management, food standards and safety, and vocational education as the priority themes for the program.

In order to assist South Caucasus countries in meeting common ENP Action Plan commitments in the areas of waste management, food standards and safety, and vocational education and to stimulate increased dialogue between governments and NGOs on ENP-related issues, EPF organized a series of policy forums on each of the three themes; commissioned three regional Policy Reports; and held a set of public awareness activities that includes radio programs, Public Service Announcements and TV-Documentaries. The policy forums were organized in the first half of 2007 to set the research agenda for subsequent trilateral policy reports, which were produced by regional consortiums working together on each topic. Read more...

Monitoring ENP Action Plan Implementation

Before Caucasus Countries can join the EU, each country must implement political, economic and social reforms that will bring stability, improved security and social welfare to its citizenry. The on-going program on EU Integration in Georgia is aimed at engaging civil society in the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan. The program, which is implemented in close collaboration with other Foundations, NGOs, governmental agencies and the EU Delegation, has mobilized civil society organizations to monitor the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan (AP). Read more...

Youth Documentaries for Intercultural Exchange

At the end of 2007 a team of trainers from Austria, Lithuania and Azerbaijan organized media workshops in Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan for young people from local media and different youth organizations. Participants of the workshop prepared newspaper, radio and TV materials about their lives, current trends and future perspectives in order to introduce their countries to young people from other countries. Intellectual Exchange and Cooperation program 2008 plans to hold a series of meetings both in South Caucasus and Eastern/Central Europe as well. Young people will develop materials devoted to the peculiarities of the countries, globalization process from their perspectives and youth's role in it. Read more....

Armenia-Turkey Dialogue & Cooperation

Eurasia Partnership Foundation, together with the Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation NGO and with funding from USAID, held an international conference on Armenia-Turkey relations on May 20 at the Congress Hotel in Yerevan. The conference, entitled "Global Challenges and Threats: Are Joint Efforts between Armenia and Turkey Possible?" brought together a number of distinguished experts from Turkey and Armenia, representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited to Armenia, political scientists, economists and legal experts, as well as media representatives.

The conference examined whether the European aspirations of Turkey and Armenia will diminish the historical and political differences between the two nations. The conference also explored the capacity of Armenian and Turkish analytical centers and expert communities to play any significant role in the process. The Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation and their Turkish partner Diba Nigar Goksel (Analyst of the European Stability Initiative and Editor of the Turkish Policy Quarterly) also presented a survey of political and civil society elites from Armenia and Turkey.
"By supporting partnerships between Armenian and Turkish citizens, Eurasia Partnership Foundation aims to promote cross-border contacts that will improve mutual understanding between the two countries" said Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, Country Director of Eurasia Partnership Foundation in Armenia. He added, "Increased understanding can contribute to the formation of professional cross-border networks, promote tolerance among the two societies, and, over the longer term, accelerate the normalization of inter-state relations."
The conference is part of Eurasia Partnership Foundation's Armenia-Turkey Initiative, which promotes improved dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the non-government, government and private sectors in Armenia and their Turkish counterparts. Read more ...

Vox Populi on European Integration

With support porvided by the EPF, the Urban Sustainable Development Foundation from Armenia and its Turkish partner, Marmara Educators Association sought to provide a short-term intellectually rigorous cross-border platform for youth activists and expert communities from Armenia and Turkey to discuss issues of mutual concern. In particular, the project partners conducted Vox Populi, interviewing random people on the streets both in Armenia and Turkey to reflect on the wider public opinion in the two countries with respect to the European integration processes and the prospects for improving the Armenia-Turkey dialogue and cooperation. Read more..