Cross-border cooperation of women “In changing the chance!”

Backa Palanka – Ilok, September 2009. CBC women “In changing is a chance!” consisted of two weekend seminars. The first was held on September 12^th -13^th  in Backa Palanka, within which the participants presented currently open funds, contests and grants, then the method of registration and competition conditions, and listed resources and potentials of the region. During the second part of the seminar, which was held on September 19^th – 20^th in Ilok, the participants worked on the establishment and strengthening of cross-border cooperation and future joint actions. The seminar was organized with a view to launching initiatives and women’s associations, media and creating a space for inter-ethnic dialogue and cross-border cooperation in the region. The group consisted of nearly 30 representatives of numerous local organizations, cultural institutions and social work, non-governmental organizations, women’s associations, preschools and schools, environmental associations, associations of old crafts and others, in the city of Ilok and Backa Palanka municipality. The seminar was led by Milica Paskulov (from Vukovar) and Ljiljana Zizic (Backa Palanka), in front of the Youth NGO “ONO” from Novi Sad. This is the third cycle of seminars that “ONO organization” supported by the Adult Education Society and DVV International in Bonn, with the aim of affirmation of life-long learning as well as social needs and point out the importance of adult education for socio-economic development of the region. This seminar, unlike the previous two, has an international character, because the emphasis on cross-border cooperation, for the purpose of educating, informing, empowering, encouraging networking and adults (in this case, women) to lifelong learning. One of the steps towards deepening the dialogue and mutual exchange of ideas and experiences, and the press conference at which the participants of the seminar CBC “in changing the chance!” present the results of the seminar and planned actions and activities in the field of cross-border cooperation of Backa Palanka municipality and the Vukovar – Srijem County. The first press conference was held in Ilok, in the town hall, on September 30th, where the participants of the seminar received by the Mayor Miroslav Janic and local government representatives from the sector for cross-border cooperation, Blaženka Gazafi and Vlatko Prskalo. The next day, October 1st, at the Assembly of Backa Palanka, a press conference was held in cooperation with the Committee for Cross-Border Cooperation. Within these two conference participants shared their experiences, informing and inviting the public to join the planned action in the field of cross-border cooperation in the field of culture, economy, tourism, youth work, entrepreneurship, etc.