Active European Citizenship/ NGO Work and FWC in Cyprus

1. Active European Citizenship/ NGO Work and FWC in Cyprus

2. http://www.futureworldscenter.org/

3. We at the Future Worlds Center focus in capacity building, peace-related  process in Cyprus, facilitation of communication and understanding between people in conflicting societies, public debates about human rights, transparency, safer use of Internet,  extending European citizenship in the Southern parts of Europe, youth participation etc. • We organize seminars, workshops, trainings and conferences to promote its social-intervention aims.

4. With the programs we have been running. We aim to • Give Cypriot NGOs in Cyprus the opportunity to interact and participate in programs that provide opportunities of networking, capacity building • Educate and raise awareness of school children and teachers in general about global issues • Promote cultural diversity, • Enhance mutual understanding between European citizens • Contribute to intercultural dialogue • Contribute to social cohesion in Cyprus by providing support to disadvantaged groups, and refugees

5. NGO world has been rather weak in Cyprus, and only in the past years is growing stronger.

6. According to the CIVICUS Study which is Civil Society Index Project, done in 2008 in both sides of the island shows that • Structure of civil society is considered “slightly weak. (1.3 out of 3) • The environment ( political rights, civil liberties etc) in which civil society was judged “ relatively enabling” (2.1 out of 3) • The extent to which civil society practices and promotes social values was considered “relatively significant (1.9 out of 3) • Impact of civil society at large was judged moderate (1.8/3) For more info: http://www.civicus.org/new/CSI_Cyprus.htm

7. Future Worlds Center has 3 units that are a)“Humanitarian Affairs”, b) “Development Education” c)“New Media Landscape” All of these units has been promoting values of EU citizenship such as cohesion, dignity, freedom, equality, citizens’ rights.

8. HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS UNIT 1)“Social Inclusion/Exclusion of Refugees in Cyprus” project which is an effort to understand the social cohesion procedure for refugees in Cyprus by exploring financial and educational and social aspects of the phenomenon” 2) “Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT)” project which supports and promotes the empowerment and rehabilitation of torture victims with a focus on refugees and asylum seeker. (urvt.org)

9. In the Unit of Development Education we aim to promote an active citizenship for people to be aware of their rights and responsibilities as citizens of this planet and as the citizens of EU, and to take responsible and informed action. DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION UNIT

10. Future Worlds Center (legal reg.: Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute) is the leading NGO in Cyprus with regards to Development Education. • FWC has been implementing a variety of initiatives and project, promoting Global and Development Education, Intercultural Dialogue, Citizenship Education and Peace Education.

11. Throughout the past two years, FWC has been coordinating the EuropeAid-funded project ‘Accessing Development Education’, engaging educators and schools in Development Education activities and equip them with relevant training and materials, thus making them promoters and multipliers in the field of Global Development Education. PROJECTS AT THE DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION UNIT

12. FWC has also acted as implementing partner of the EuropeAid funded project ‘Youth Ambassadors for MGDs (Millenium Development Goals)’, which involved young people in actions promoting the MDGs among youth.

13. Starting April 2010, FWC will coordinate the EuropeAid funded project ‘TeachMDGs’, aiming at developing teaching resources tailored to the educational system and its needs in CY, BG, LT and EE. • This project will focus on training teachers on different levels (in service, student teachers and teaching instructors) to promote a wide outreach to the educational system and to actively engage not only the teachers, but also the learners.

14. Furthermore, FWC is partners in the a)EuropeAid funded project ‘Media for Development’, aiming at engaging young leaders in utilizing new and web-based media to promote the MDGs within the educational field b)EuropeAid funded project ‘Capacity and Synergy building among NGDOs and LAs in Greece, Cyprus and Malta for development’. c) EU funded project “ACID - Active citizens for intercultural dialogue” - The aim of the project ACID is to organize citizens’ panels on the importance of intercultural dialogue in the context of an increasingly intercultural European Union, exploring original and innovative methodology, with the potential to encourage citizens’ participation and to stimulate dialogue between European citizens and the institutions of the European Union.

15. NEW MEDIA LAB UNIT It aims to bridging educational, economic, political and other gaps in society by facilitating learning. Citizens of EU also has rights in cyber world. The project cyberethics under the unit of New Media Lab informs teenagers, children, teachers and parents about their rights online, the threats and dangers they could face online. The main aim is to raise awareness about these issues, and provide a place for reporting illegal or disturbing content on the internet. (www.cyberethics.info)

16. For More Information, Please visit http://fwcis.blogspot.com/ http://www.futureworldscenter.org/ THANK YOU