Fundraising, Outreach and Relationships at European level

- Met with Ms. Ramet in European Commission (=EU executive body) on EU spending-programmes for 2005 "aid to uprooted" people in Asia (including reconciliation activity): no hope for Sri Lanka (EU donates to a World Bank housing program), some for Philippines and Burma if in partnership with strong local Ngos.

- Interviewed by consultants writing a "European Civil Peace Corps feasibility study" for the European Commission.

- Informal news (to be confirmed in June) that, following an effort supported by the Brussels office, several European Mos will receive 4000 euros/year each from the EU for "exchange of training best practices" in the next two years.

- Analysed and forwarded to concerned NP colleagues EU info and grant criteria on Philippines and Uganda.
- Given advice on funding perspectives to a group of Mos (led by the Spanish NOVA) who's proposing a project on nonviolence training for Arab civil society in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon.

- The EPLO working group on budget-related lobbying approved a common position and is distributing it (for the first time) to relevant EU budget authorities to finally obtain peacebuilding funds earmarked for NGOs.

- Got information of approval of a pre-proposal (first step) where NP is partner of a partnership to share best practices of good governance and conflict prevention with local groups/authorities in Serbia. In the process of checking NP contribution details (value around 50.000 euros per 18 months).

- Assisted a conference on the role of Arab citizens in Israel for the peace process.
- Annual reports are still being distributed in European Parliament committees' sessions, especially Development and Foreign Affairs ones.

- Investigated and summarised per agency several potential funding sources for the Rachel's tour of fenders on Sri Lanka.

Fundraising, Outreach and Relationships at national levels

- Italy
Submitted with CSDC's (Italian MO) help an application to MontePaschi Foundation (Siena), for 85.000 euros for the Sri Lanka project 2006 expenditures. Reply expected in December.

- Finland
Organised a visit to meet key people in Finland (NGOs and government) next 13-15 June, supported by Anne Palme (coordinator of Finnish Ngo’s platform KATU and member of the GPPAC international steering group).

- Belgium
Obtained some (insufficient) information about a budget line on" Consolidation of peace", but Foreign Ministry officials seem not to know if this year projects are accepted. To explore further.
- Germany
Systematically analysing, with Ben's help, all the agencies who funded peace work in the last 6/7 years, and approaching them.

Other Strategic and Outreach Activities:

· Revised part of the minutes of the regional NP meeting in Romania about EPLO, GPPAC, EU and fundraising related issues.

· Participated in the NP-GPPAC working group and related correspondence with externals, obtaining some results in the final Global Action Agenda draft.

Internal
- Coordination (together with Rachel) of the part-time intern (Ben), of a few-hours-per-month intern (Maria Kesetzi, analysing EU country strategy papers) in the Brussels office:

- Corresponded with various universities wishing to send neograduated students as interns.
- Preparing and receiving a visit by the Labour Safety Inspection body.
- Preparing a demand to Belgian authorities for a publicly-funded work-position in no profit organisations.

TIME
· 21 days of holidays left for 2005.

Upcoming
- Help in organising the Brussels office move and the selection process for new staff in the office.
- Managing new interns' applications.
- Submitting applications for Sri Lanka project to ABS and Christian Aid.
- Submit a programmatic application to DFID (UK government).
- Drafting a Power Point presentation for “non experts” on EU funding mechanisms (asked by Mel).
- Preparing travel to Finland and deal with follow up.
- Sharing with German Mos strategy to approach "peace-sensible" donor agencies in their country.

Alessandro Rossi
European Development Officer
Nonviolent Peaceforce
Rue Van Elewyck 35
1050 Bruxelles
tel/fax: +32(0)26480076
Mobile: +32(0)484713896
arossi@nonviolentpeaceforce.org
www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org

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