On 22 August 2012 an information meeting for CSOs interested in cooperation in the spheres of science, culture, education and reform in the Eastern Partnership countries was organized in Minsk. This meeting was held in the frames of the Clearing House project as part of the series of events, aimed at the capacity building and information sharing about European support programmes open for Belarusian CSOs.
During the meeting the major attention was drawn to the programmes supported by the Visegrad Fund. Its mission is to support cultural, educational and scientific projects in the Eastern Europe. Guests of the event were interested in the possibilities of participation in the programmes of the Fund, the major projects implemented at this stage and especially application procedures for its calls for proposals.
Project consultants made a presentation about the Visegrad Fund, its programmes, application procedures and rules for selection of project proposals.
It should be noted that in the frames of the Clearing House project four consultants were trained and are ready to provide free of charge expert support in preparing quality applications for the European calls for proposals. Maxim Karliuk, one of the project consultants, talking on behalf of the trained consultants, expressed his willingness to provide competent and meaningful counseling services to Belarusian CSOs, to assist in the formulation of project ideas and monitoring projects’ implementation. CSOs are welcome to select a consultant and request a consultation contacting the Office for European Expertise and Communications (oeec.ngo@gmail.com).
Of course, joining the Visegrad Fund programmes is not that easy: the requirements are quite high, which makes it very competitive. Still, the organisers of the meeting wish good luck to all the applicants and are ready to provide all the necessary information about the Visegrad Fund programmes.