EU working to reopen of Civil Society Training Center in Syria
Syria-European Union, Politics, 3/7/2006

The delegation of the European commission to Syria is working for the reopening of a civil society training center, which was closed by Syrian authorities just days after it officially opened in Damascus as part of an EU- funded Global European Initiative for Democracy and Human rights program (EIDHR).

"The center has been closed by the Syrian authorities and the activities of the center have therefore been postponed for now," said Frank Hesske, the head of the delegation of the European Commission to Syria. " We remain hopeful that the issue can be solved quickly and that the center is reopened in the near future."

The center opened its doors on February 21 with a small ceremony attended by the delegation of the European commission to Syria, including Hesske, and representatives from other EU member states, such as the Austrian ambassador to Syria. Austria currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union until 1 July 2006. The training center was sealed in 1 March by Syrian security personnel. The EC is in direct contact with high level Syrian government officials to explore ways to have the center reopened.

"We remain hopeful that this is a technical issue and we can star the training activities to develop Syrian civil society at the center, which is very much in line with the government's stated modernization process, which the EC is supporting through its cooperation activities," Hesske said.

The training center was the second project to be officially launched this year in Syria under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights program (EIDHR), and EU funded program that spans the worlds, including Europe. It was introduced to Syria last year. The Civil Society Training Center is a two- year project under the implementation of the Belgian NGO Institute for International Assistance and Solidarity (IFIAS), in cooperation with Syria's civil society. Funding from the EU for the center is over 93,000 EURO. The project is to develop a well- functioning civil society training center that would offer extensive training to women organizations, journalists, lawyers and civil society groups in general. It would also include a resource library.

The center is expected to provide training for over 300 people, with participants coming from all parts of the country. Two of the training instructions exclusively aim at women, while free legal counseling is also to be offered at the center. The project is one of six that were selected by the European Commission under its first launch of the EIDHR program. The other projects, some of which have yet to be officially launched, focuses on children's rights, the rights of Palestine refugees and training programs on human rights for people with disability.

The EIDHR program was created by an initiative of the Europena parliament in 1994 to help strengthen local civil society and back their contribution to the democratic process. The program was introduced in Syria through a public call for proposals in June 2005 with a total budget of 500,000 EUROS. The Initiative is echoed in the Euro- Mediterranean partnership of which Syria is a member. A key objective of the partnership, which came out of the 1995 Barcelona process, is to create an area of peace and stability based on the principles of respect for democracy and human rights and the development of a free and flourishing civil society.

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