The project "Finno-Ugric Peoples of Karelia: Development of Civic Diplomacy and Strengthening of Internal Capacity" is being implemented in the Republic of Karelia from June to November 2018 with the support of the Ministry of National and Regional Policy of the Republic of Karelia.
The project seeks to build capacity and expertise of NGOs and civil movements of indigenous Finno-Ugric peoples of the Republic of Karelia for them to be able to more efficiently participate in relevant regional, interregional and international processes.
The educational part of the project consists of a series of trainings for members of indigenous NGOs in the city of Petrozavodsk and municipal districts. Experts from both Karelia and outside the region will be invited to conduct the trainings. Themes of trainings: include development of organizational culture, strategic planning, public diplomacy, interaction with authorities and mass media. These trainings will allow to strengthen the connections of indigenous movements with their representatives in municipalities.
Civic diplomacy dimension includes participation in interregional and international events of Finno-Ugric peoples, including the Conference on the Teaching of Native Languages of Finno-Ugric peoples in the Komi Republic and the International Interim Conference of Finno-Ugric Peoples in Estonia. Participation in these events will make it possible to present the experience of indigenous peoples of Karelia and exchange good practices with colleagues from the civil movements of other Finno-Ugric peoples.
Finally, the project will allow to disseminate information about indigenous peoples and their movements' agendas among general population. All materials will be presented on the organization's website in the sections "Karelian Movement" and "Indigenous Peoples".
The project will contribute to the successful preparation of indigenous NGOs for the IX Congress of the Karelians of the Republic of Karelia, the VII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples and the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly. The project will help indigenous peoples to follow up on the implementation of the decisions of the VIII Congress of the Karelians of the Republic of Karelia and the recommendations of the Council of representatives of the Karelians, Vepsians and Finns under the Head of the Republic of Karelia. One of the central activities of the project will be an expert seminar on effective implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples at the local and municipal levels.
To implement this project "Young Karelia" has partnered with the Council of Commissioners of the VIII Congress of the Karelians of the Republic of Karelia, the Youth Information and Legal Center for Indigenous Peoples "Nevond", the Society of Vepsian Culture and the Union of the Karelian People.
Picture: ИА "Республика"
