I. NGOs Working on the Issues of Mental Health Will Unite in an Alliance
II. Belarus Youth Organizations Press-Conference
III. Russian Jews to Create a Strong Community
IV. First NGO Fund-Raising Seminar
V. Project SONGE is Offering Support to NGOs
I. NGOs Working on the Issues of Mental Health Will Unite in an Alliance
More than 20 NGOs working in the area of psychological
health participated in a conference July 4 in Moscow
organized by the charity foundation "Human Soul."
Conference participants discussed the need to unite the
efforts of non-profit organizations devoted to helping
people with mental and psychological disorders, as well as
drug and alcohol addicts. Members of such organizations
include professionals, relatives, and disabled people
themselves. Establishing a coalition will help these NGOs
to coordinate their work and combine it with government
programs. Organizations interested in cooperation or
joining the coalition should contact "Human Soul" in
Moscow:
Tel: (095) 963-1324 (Andrei Sinelnikov)
II. Belarus Youth Organizations Press-Conference
A joint press-conference of the Moscow Belarusian Culture Society named after Francisk Skorina and the "ultraradical liberal union Youth Solidarity" was held in Moscow July 3 to respond to Belarusian President A. Lukashenko's statement promising to abolish all non-governmental youth organizations, except the Youth Union (formerly Komsomol), starting January 1, 1997. G. Lekh, chair of the Moscow Belarusian Culture Society, said that there is a "catastrophic situation with violation of human rights" in Belarus. According to A. Buk, leader of the youth section of the Belarusian Culture Society, students participating in anti-governmental actions are expelled from universities without a right to return, youth organizations are being dissolved, and their leaders are being arrested. Participants emphasized the need for support and cooperation between Russian and Belarusian democracy and rule of law NGOs.
III. Russian Jews to Create a Strong Community
A conference on "Jews Of The Former USSR: Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow" was held June 30-July 3 in St.Petersburg. Conference participants included scholars concentrating on Jewish studies, representatives of Jewish communities in Germany, US, Russia, and Israel, and Jewish political and religious leaders. Among the topics of discussion were the perspectives of Jews in post-Communist Russia and other NIS countries. Whereas Israel representatives suggested total emigration, the Ukraine and Belarus Jewish community leaders argued for revival of Jewish culture, language, and sense of community. T. Golenpolsky, chief editor of the "Jewish Newspaper," argued that only solidarity and a strong Jewish community such as exists in the US can help to stand up against anti-Semitism.
IV. First NGO Fund-Raising Seminar
July 23 the Volunteer Center "Moscow Charity House" will hold its first seminar on fund-raising for NGOs. The seminar includes a two-hour video and a follow-up discussion. Similar seminars will be held regularly upon organizations' requests starting in September. Contact phone for the Volunteer Center: 291-3041
V. Project SONGE is Offering Support to NGOs
The independent, non-governmental charity organization
SONGE grants technical support to Central and East
European and NIS NGOs working in health care, education,
and social protection. The program was established in
1992 as a project of the Belgian branch of "Doctors
Without Borders", and during the three years of its
existence it has helped over 20 organizations in Romania,
Poland, and Russia.
Address of the SONGE office in Moscow :
ul. Pokrovka, str.1, room 17
Tel/fax: 916-3966
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