visegrad summer school magda vášáryová7.7.2014. my adventure with ngos 1990 – 1993 →...
TRANSCRIPT
My My adventure with NGOsadventure with NGOs
• 1990 – 1993 → ambassador in Austria – clerk
• 1993 → NGO SFPA – founder
• 1999 → presidential candidacy – executive
• 2000 – 2005 → ambassador in Poland – clerk
• 2005 – 2006 → Secretary of State of the MFA SR – politician
• 2006 - member of parliament – politician
• 2007 – NGO Via Cultura, IKP – founder
When actually an When actually an inhabitant became a inhabitant became a
citizen?citizen?• civil society emerged as a consequence of the Enlightenment
• The French revolution (1789)
• civil society expropriates what was part of the religion before consequence of liberal Protestantism
• the year 1789 is not universal for the whole world
• abolition of serfdom - revolutionary year 1848
• the voice of active citizens in Central Europe – in 1989
• state lost its monopoly for political life
Totalitarian regimes Totalitarian regimes constrained freedom to constrained freedom to
establish NGOsestablish NGOs... but some NGOs existed
The House of Gardeners
Stamp collectors
Fishing associations
Our homeland will be beautifull and rich
In solid union of workers and peasants...A happiness and wealth of our people grows
We honestly fulfill tasks at the construction sites of youth...Come among us!
Inhabitants should have been Inhabitants should have been happy, always smilinghappy, always smiling
The fundamental question The fundamental question today soundstoday sounds
How is it possible that even intelligent people have fallen into the trap of
these kind of propaganda?
Ilia ErenburgMartin Heidegger
Why Charter 77 was not an NGO?
Because then Ministry of the Interior of socialist Czechoslovakia would not have registered it. On the contrary, it would have imprisoned its participants.
Signature of Václav Havel under the Charter 77
WHY?WHY?
Civil society associated in NGOs is one of the most important
sources of critical thinking.
Slovak NGOs CaseSlovak NGOs CaseŽivena (1869; rebuilt in 1989) – the oldest Slovak women association; as the first NGO
SAIA (1990) - Slovak Academic Information Agency assists to internationalization of education and science in Slovakia
SFPA (1993) – Slovak Foreign Policy Association serves as a discuss forum international issues and foreign policy in Slovakia
IVO (1997) Institute for Public Affairs is think-tank producing independent analysis of public policy issues
International NGOs International NGOs „pressure“„pressure“
Transparency International
Amnesty International
Greenpeace
The main problem with The main problem with NGOsNGOs
FINANCESFINANCES
• an enormous technological, cultural and institutional debts of post-communist countries
• lack of prosperous and stable companies
• lack of valid information and contacts
• lack of modern legislative and good judges
Key problem of financial Key problem of financial resources (again!)resources (again!)
1. Resource: western foundations (U.S., Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Switzerland)
2. Resource: embassies (Norwegian Funds, the Netherlands, Belgium, Taiwan)
3. Resource: supranational corporations (Siemens, Eset,...)
4. Resource: domestic – 2% from taxes (asignation of 2%)
5. The biggest resource: voluntary contributions
Villa Decius Association Villa Decius Association ((19951995))
• very good example how to revive tradition
•how to restore and modernise Villa
•how to fill Villa with many activities and especially young people
•how to strengthen amicus certus in paradis terrestiare
•how to continue what started in 1528
• the result - centre of Cracow humanism
Crucial year for NGOs in Crucial year for NGOs in Slovakia Slovakia
• parliamentary elections in 1998
• emergence of the Third sector
• Citizen eye
• record 80% turnout of first-time voters
Golden age of NGOs Golden age of NGOs (from political point of (from political point of
view)view)
• struggle for saving democracy and western orientation of V4 countries
• help for those who did not succeed
• fight against anti-European propaganda in V4
Continuation...Continuation...
• Diverzification of NGOs – national– regional– international politics – education – CHARITY– the result: new Mr.
President of Slovakia!
NGOs are not a magic NGOs are not a magic formula for problems of all formula for problems of all
kindkind
• NGOs established by „straw men“
• pseudoNGOs with clear political aims
• NGOs as a centre of radical thoughts
• NGOs as a quiet port for retired experts
• NGOs as cache for uncooperative individualists
WHYWHY??
PositivesPositives• work for NGO as religiousness that spilt from
outside to inside towards open humanism
• work for NGO as creative temporary employment
• work for NGO as unique experience of personal development
• work for NGO as source of critical thinking
• work in flexible structure
NegativesNegatives• critical thinking without responsibility
• danger of permanent moralizing • stagnation in „pullover culture“
• result of frustration or excessive enthusiasm
result is adolescent requests
BUT...BUT...
Who was not in NGO does not know what it means to be a citizen of 21st
century
As a volunteerAs an employer
As an expertAs a supporter