1. The role of civil society in communicating Europe in the Czech Republic

Shortly after the European Council in June 2005, the Government of the Czech Republic approved the 'Communication Strategy for Informing the Public about European Affairs', a task to be carried out by the Department of Information on European Affairs of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic (OGCR).

The main objectives of the Strategy are to provide information to the public for the national debate in the "period of reflection", and to organize and stimulate national discourse. In light of the current need to raise general public awareness of the EU, four priorities were selected for 2005: Future of Europe, Czech EU membership, European programmes and funds - a signpost for European money, and the EU into Schools project. The Czech Republic has taken the lead within the European Union in responding to the call for greater public debate enhanced by the European Commission´s Plan D presented on 13 October 2005 and deepened by the White Paper on a European Communication Policy released on 2 February 2006.

Special attention has been paid to the creation of a functioning information infrastructure on EU affairs based on regional information centres called "Eurocentres", a free phone line on EU matters called "Eurofon" - 800 200 200, a bimonthly newsletter titled "Eurokurýr" publishing the news on EU affairs from the Czech Administration, the "Euroskop.cz" internet portal, and a grant scheme.

The Strategy counts on a strong cooperation with the non-state actors. Non-governmental groups have become partners in stimulating the national debate on European affairs. Dozens of lectures, conferences, seminars, anthologies and other projects were funded by the government grants. The projects are chosen by independent boards of experts representing media, non-profit organizations, or churches. In 2005 the boards chose 41 projects, which were supported by approximately CZK 20 million. In 2006 the grant scheme provides the same budget as last year, and uses the same system of independent selection boards. Nevertheless, there are new communication priorities set up for 2006 on which the grant applicants have to focus their projects: Future of Europe (covering topics such as benefits of the 2007-2013 financial perspective, strategic vision of Europe's future, EU enlargement, Lisbon agenda, and ratification process of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe); Safe Europe (internal EU security regulations with an emphasis on the preparation for joining the Schengen system, implementation of the Hague programme, fight against terrorism, police and justice co-operation within the EU, pilot projects such as "community policing" in the CR, and issues of the Common Foreign and Security Policy etc.); and EU into Schools (aiming at the preparation of methodologies for EU education at basic and secondary schools and further education of teachers relating to EU affairs).

On the occasion of Europe Day (May 9) OGCR will organize several public events. One of them is a multimedia exhibition with the title: "Communicating Europe: Campaigns on the Union within the Union", which will present various promotional materials - posters, campaign proposals, designs, special logos, graphics and concepts of topics linked with the EU in Member States. After the presentation in Prague, the exhibition will travel through the Member States of the EU later. Another event will be a mobile, regional exhibition accompanied by series of debates on "Czech Europeanism". The event will be held in co-operation with the Eurocentres of OGCR, regional authorities and city councils of statutory cities.

Last year, OGCR became a guarantor of the EU programme called "Citizens for Europe". The aim of this programme is to bring the EU closer to citizens and to encourage them to become more active in public life and decision making processes. Since the programme is still being negotiated at the Committee for Cultural Affairs of the Council of the EU, it is still possible to influence its structure. OGCR, by its own initiative, has decided to involve potential grant receivers in the debate. On the Euroskop.cz portal or through e-mail, it is possible to participate in the discussion regarding this programme.

Under the communication strategy, OGCR has also established a book series under the title "Thinking about Europe". Last year, the first book, a collection of essays and speeches on Europe bearing the title "Europe as a task" written by the former Czech President Vaclav Havel, was published and accompanied by a public debate on the future of Europe, which was attended by around 600 people. This year other works by prominent thinkers, politicians and other opinion makers will be published and accompanied by public debates to be held at the "Pražská křižovatka" meeting place in Prague.

Further information: www.euroskop.cz or in Czech language 

2. Co-operation between Charles University in Prague and Czech Radio

Few weeks after completion of an official Declaration on co-operation in December 2004, Czech Radio and Charles University in Prague have launched its first joint project. Every third Tuesday evening of a regular weekly "Men of pen" is devoted to a panel discussion with university scholars. Eight topics were already discussed:

•  Grounds of euroscepticism (2005-05-17),
•  Medical Ethics (2005-06-21),
•  Social cohesion (2005-07-19),
•  Media education I, II (2005-08-16 and 2005-08-23),
•  Eight sins of the state administration I, II (2005-10-18 and 2005-11-15),
•  Theatre and society I, II (2005-12-20 and 2005-12-27),
•  Gender (not broadcasted yet),
•  Multicultural society (not broadcasted yet).

CESES proposed two of these topics, Social cohesion and Eight sins of the state administration. Members of CESES took an active part as panelists in most of discussions. Discussions are accessible on-line as MP3 file in Czech language.

3. Agora Central Europe - Citizen Participation in decision-making processes

More than six years ago, Agora Central Europe has filled a blank space on the map of non-profit organizations in the Czech Republic. Its mission is to boost the process of strengthening democracy within the Czech society. In practice, this means above all a permanent effort to improve the dialogue between national government, local authorities and the broadest public.
Many town halls in the Czech Republic have to cope with a citizens' lack of interest in public affairs. The reality is similar from town to town: officials in charge of local development would like to know the people's opinion of newly-proposed changes of the zoning plan, but only those whose plot of land will be seized because of a new road  will take part in meeting; the municipal council has decided to invest big amounts in the regeneration of a housing estate or the reconstruction of a town square, but citizens watch the changes with no interest or even protest against them; the town hall faces a big investment and cannot decide whether people really want it or whether they will stand up against it.

Agora CE was founded by two Dutch organizations Agora Europe and Institute for Public and Politics. Dutch experience and financial support (program MATRA of the Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs) from the Netherlands initiated many projects of interactive decision-making process organized by Agora CE. Such projects deal with long-term goals and policies (such as strategic planning and development of the municipalities) as well as short-term goals (tackling everyday problems such as tidiness, traffic, free time of the youth, etc.).

Agora CE also conducts seminars and conferences on citizen participation and building partnership. Free and open discussion is essential for modern democracy. Agora CE tries to live up the traditional static debate format with its panel and silent audience by using new methods of moderating, recorded video interviews, presentations of various data and the like. We also organized unconventional debates for young people, presented, for example, by rappers rapping about the issues under discussion.

Further information

End of: 6. Brief News