Building Bridges with the East – Russian language website RUS.NGO.PL.

What problem are you solving?:

The development of international cooperation between Polish NGOs and social organisations from the countries of the former Soviet Union requires ever greater professionalism, and common knowledge of existing opportunities for undertaking such cooperation.

The awareness of the conditions under which non-governmental organisations function in specific countries in this region is essential for a balanced partnership between NGOs.

This collaboration could be much more effective if there will be a higher level of knowledge and better information exchange about social problems and social initiatives undertaken in each country.

The transparency of social activity could also help in developing open civil societies in the countries of the region. That’s why we would like to propose to develop the Russian language web-site as an international platform for dialog about experience in undertaking social cooperation of NGOs from Poland and CIS countries.

Describe your idea:

Russian language portal to aid the development of international cooperation for organisations from Poland, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia
It will provide a tool for exchanging information and promoting cooperation through which the transparency of international activity is increased
It will offer
• INTERACTIVE MESSAGE SERVICE about the latest events, upcoming deadlines for program applications and a weekly newsletter. A form on the website enables users to submit messages by themselves
• PARTNERS SOUGHT SECTION to assist organisations in finding partners and thus develop a network of international cooperation using an interactive form
• INTERACTIVE KNOWLEDGE BASE of the NGO sector in the countries of the regions, increasing in the professionalism of NGO cooperation. It will be developed based on user participation through submitting proposals for analysis and research
• DATABASE of NGOs and informal groups prepared to develop international cooperation

What country will this operate in?: Poland

Who are you?:

We are a small group of the young enthusiastic editors, who are deeply interested in social and cultural development of East European, Caucasus and Central Asia countries. Until December 2009 our web-site Rus.ngo.pl , worked as an independent project operating under the Klon/Jawor Association (editors of Poland’s most popular web portal focussing on the activity of the Polish non-governmental sector. Currently the project’s institutional framework is undergoing changes. We are in the process of building a new organizational structure.