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2010 Archives

11-11-2010.
Places in the Heart Fund Granted Awards to the Most Positive Civil Initiatives Projects and to the Best Local Partnership in the Year 2009

On a ceremony held on November, 10th 2009 in City Hall of Belgrade, Places in the Heart fund granted awards to the organizations which have in 2009 implemented projects with the most positive effects on their local communities.  With support and in cooperation with The Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organizations (TASCO) EU, the award for the best local partnership has been this year awarded for the first time.

Representatives of all organizations’ nominees have attended the award ceremony, and the jury, which consisted of prominent representatives of civil society and business sector, has chosen the best three local initiatives and the best local partnership.  The companies which support and participate in the work of Places in the Heart fund have provided, along with commodity awards, a fund in the amount of 11.500 Euros as money awards to the winners in both categories.

Erste Banka a.d. Novi Sad has this year provided a money award in the amount of 5000 euros to Eco club “Green Road signs” from Raska, which ranked first in the category the most positive civil initiatives.

When explaining jury decision, Andrea Brbaklić, President of MB of Places in the Heart fund, said that within the awarded project “a contribution towards expanding social responsibility and ecological awareness has been recognized, because by various actions of clearing illegal dumps, with participation of a several hundred volunteers, elementary schools’ students, public communal enterprises, Direction of Urbanism and Military of Republic of Serbia, the problem of waste management in the rural areas of the Municipality of Raska has been solved in the systematic manner.”

Siemens Company has awarded a voucher in the amount of 2000 euros to the organization “Kokoro” from Bor, which ranked second in the category of the most positive civil initiative.  Through the action of primary prevention of adolescent drug abuse in Bor, and by active participation of the young, the teachers, the parents, the police and the citizens, raising public awareness on the problem of drug abuse and ways of prevention has been accomplished, along with promotion of healthy behavior and healthy lifestyle.

To informal group „Kobre“ from Donja Toponica next to Niš, which ranked third in the same category, Microsoft Serbia company has awarded a voucher in the amount of 1500 euros.  Decrepit House of Culture in Donja Toponica has been turned into a cultural center for the citizens of many villages.  The center encompasses a hall for education and sport activities, along with the first village library, by which it has become a place where thematic workshops may be held, and where both young and older citizens may converge.

In the category of best local partnership,Telenor and Telenor foundation have awarded 3000 euros and free internet modem to “Society for Supporting Mentally Underdeveloped People from Trstenik”, for the project entitled “The House for Us in the Center of the City!”  The Society has gathered many partners from public and business sector in Trstenik around the initiative for building up a better day care center for its beneficiaries, enabling in that way better care for a greater number of children, the work according to the European standards, and better integration in the local community.

The founder of Places in the Heart award is Jefferson Institute, which organized the award ceremony for the first time in 2006.  Jefferson Institute and Balkan Community Initiatives Fund founded Places in the Heart fund in 2008, which continues its work on the promotion of civil society organizations through awarding the best local initiatives.

 Photo gallery may be viewed here.

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