Serbia has been a long-term focus country for the Pontis Foundation. We have been present in the country since the 1999 pre-election year, when we began to work with the legendary student movement Otpor! We provided their leaders with training in the area of youth mobilization campaigns as well as in developing regional structures. We were also involved in the so-called Bratislava process during 1999 and 2000 which resulted in a practical and useful cooperation between the Slovak government and NGOs during the Serbian transition to democracy.
The several assessment trips to the country from 2001 to 2003 showed that despite the very serious social problems, such as high unemployment, refugees, and internally displaced persons, the presence of international donors in the country had been permanently decreasing. Outside Belgrade and Novi Sad, there was a lack of well-established, experienced and well-profiled NGOs with a clear mission, working only on donor requests rather than addressing local and community needs
In this context we launched new project activities concentrated on the animation of youth in small towns and solving local community problems. At the same time, with an objective to contribute to the development of capacities and long-term sustainability of civil society in Serbia, we have started to work intensively on building the partnerships between 5 NGOs, local authorities, and companies in Southern and Central Serbia.
After the European Commission officially opened Pre-accession negotiations under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in April 2005, and the Serbian government stressed that European integration would become a priority for the country, Pontis recognized that it was necessary to work with the key stakeholders in the country on the issue of European integration and transfer of Slovak experience.
In 2004 Pontis Foundation carried out a ten-month project to raise awareness in Bratislava and regional towns across Slovakia on the Western Balkans. As a follow-up, Pontis coordinated and managed an undergraduate course on the Western Balkans, conducted in the fall semester of 2005/2006 at Comenius University in Bratislava.
Currently, we are using our knowledge of the environment, local contacts and experience to engage in the further enhancement of partnerships of NGOs in Serbia with the business sector and in the development of activities focused on other important groups involved in the European Integration of Serbia.
Our projects:
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Slovak-Serbian EU Enlargement Fund (Supporting young Independent researchers and journalists on the EU Agenda in Serbia)
- Completed projects and programs
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