Building on our previous programs and civic mobilization activities in the Balkans and in Eastern Europe, we established this program in 2002. Under the previous name Institute of Civic Diplomacy, it has concentrated on civic groups, youth and capacity-building of NGOs in a smaller number of target countries: Serbia, Belarus, Cuba and recently also Iraq.
We believe Slovakia should pay back the help it has received from the West under the communist regime before 1989 and in the 1990s during the civic protest movement against the authoritarian Mečiar government. This serves as our inspiration to help strengthen emerging civil societies in other countries that are either in the early phase of transformation to democracy or still under dictatorships.
Our role is also to raise public awareness about the situation and needs of these countries and their civic groups in Slovakia and within the EU. With this aim, we pursue global education at Slovak universities and advocacy activities in Bratislava and Brussels. Pontis Foundation supports more pro-active Slovak and EU foreign policy, based on support for civil society, the spread of democracy, and respect for human rights.
We also support increased capacities of Slovakia as an emerging donor in development cooperation and democracy assistance, and play an active role in international NGO networking towards these goals. Pontis is a founding member of the Slovak NGDO Platform, CONCORD, the World Movement for Democracy and the network of European foundations for democracy.
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