The “Swiss Cultural Programme South East Europe and Ukraine” (SCP), which the Arts Council of Switzerland Pro Helvetia is implementing in accordance with a mandate received from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), enters a new and final phase, starting on January 1st, 2008. From now on, the programme will focus on the Western Balkan region with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo and reinforce its regional approach. The programme is designed for a 5-years period and will be concluded in 2012.
The offices in Sofia and Bucharest have been closed by December 2007 as a consequence of the EU-integration of Bulgaria and Romania. The office in Kiev, Ukraine, will be closed by the end of 2008.
From July 2008 on, the “Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkans” will be managed from a new regional office in Sarajevo – with local offices in Belgrade and Skopje (until end of 2009), Tirana (until end of 2010) and Pristina (until end of 2011).
The overall goal of the Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkans is to contribute to the promotion of democracy and freedom of expression, to conflict resolution and the respect of minorities. It focuses on regional projects, with intercultural and interethnic cooperation, stressing youth and structures for broad cultural participation. Good governance and equity (gender, generations, minorities) have to be taken into account by all cultural projects addressed to SCP.
SCP in the Western Balkans works with two action-lines, regional cooperation projects and small actions. Future cooperation projects will be regional, i.e. involve at least two countries of the programme. The new concept for regional cooperation projects and the respective criteria and procedures will be announced on the websites of SCP by June 2008. As for the small actions, they will continue following the actual procedures, with some minor modifications. The action line is to be phased out gradually – in accordance to the closure of the local offices - in the different programme countries. For further information consult our website.
Swiss Cultural Programme Macedonia / PRO HELVETIA Skopje supports projects by cultural organizations and associations, and creative workers in the field of contemporary culture - music, theatre, dance, literature and visual arts. Swiss Cultural Programme Macedonia / PRO HELVETIA Skopje is working on a program to support Macedonian culture, the process of establishing and developing independent organizations, the enrichment of bilateral and multilateral collaborations in the cultural sphere in Macedonia and the region.
On November 1, 1999, the local office of PRO HELVETIA in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia officially started with its work.
In our first mandate that lasted until the end of 2002 we supported 4 midterm projects and 170 short-term projects, from different fields of the Macedonian contemporary culture and art (theatre productions, exhibitions, publishing of books, catalogues, magazines, production of music CDs, participations at workshops, festivals and exhibitions in the countries of the region and Switzerland, etc.).
From 2003 the office started working in the frames of a new mandate titled Swiss Cultural Programme South East Europe and Ukraine which brought some changes in our work. The office is now run by local staff and decisions on Small Actions (formerly short-term projects) are made by a local board.
One of the main priorities of Swiss Cultural Programme Macedonia / PRO HELVETIA Skopje is to work on the realization of Cooperation Projects. These have been developed by Macedonian partner organizations and are targeted at their stabilization and institutionalization. In a long-term perspective, the support of the Programme should provide for their independent development based on firm stability and significant financial independence.
Swiss Cultural Programme Macedonia / PRO HELVETIA Skopje offers consultation for the preparation of application materials for financial support as well as assistance in seeking appropriate partner organizations in Switzerland. It has a library of referential and informational publications, as well as a collection of CDs of Swiss music of all genres.
After a request for assistance and an appointment, the staff of Swiss Cultural Programme Macedonia / PRO HELVETIA Skopje is available for any further information.
Contact:
Visiting address:
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Staff: Hristina Ivanoska, Oliver Musovik, working hours: |
The Swiss Cultural Programme is a joint programme of the Arts Council of Switzerland PRO HELVETIA and of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC.
The Swiss Cultural Programme is convinced that Arts and Culture plays a key role in the process of social and economic change. Culture fosters creative and innovative approaches to meet the challenges of a transforming society. Cultural activities engage individuals and communities in an open exchange of experiences enhance mutual understanding and strengthen civil society.
The Swiss Cultural Programme supports local partners in South East Europe and the Ukraine active in the field of arts and culture. It strengthens institutions, organizations and groups of individuals, which emphasize the variety, independence and performance of the cultural life.
The Arts Council of Switzerland PRO HELVETIA is a foundation under public law and was founded in 1939. PRO HELVETIA puts a particular emphasis on the promotion of contemporary artistic creation, cultural exchange and the dialogue of cultures in Switzerland and abroad.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC is part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Its main goal is to support its partner countries in their political, economic and social transition process.
In 1999, the Arts Council of Switzerland PRO HELVETIA received the mandate from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC to realize a cultural programme in South East Europe and the Ukraine.
The Swiss Cultural Programme encompasses seven countries, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro and the Ukraine. Local offices are established in Tirana, Sarajevo, Sofia, Skopje, Bucharest, Belgrade and Kyiv.
The Programme's strategic and overall operational management is based at Pro Helvetia main office in Zürich, division of international affairs. The Regional Programme Coordination is posted in Belgrade.
PRO HELVETIA
Swiss Cultural Programme
South East Europe and Ukraine
Hirschengraben 22
CH - 8024 Zurich
www.pro-helvetia.ch (Pro Helvetia, headquarters)
www.deza.admin.ch (SDC, headquartes)
+ 389 2 311 98 16 
+ 389 2 311 98 16