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  • CENN - December 20, 2004 Daily Digest

    CENN – DECEMBER 20, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
    Table of Contents:
    1. Evaluation of CENN activities During the period of 2004-2005
    2. "The Public Eye Awards - "26/27 January 2005, Davos/Switzerland
    3. Training Sessions in International Human Rights
    4. BP and British Council Announce Successful Scholarship Candidates
    5. AUA Promotes Anti-Smoking Movement
    6. Human Rights and Environment



    1. EVALUATION OF CENN ACTIVITIES DURING THE PERIOD OF 2004-2005

    CENN - Caucasus Environmental NGO Network is conducting evaluation of
    its activities for the period of 2004-2005 and would like to ask you to
    participate in the study by answering this checklist as accurately as
    possible. The information will help us assess the CENN activities and
    improve our work in the future. We ask you to answer the checklist and
    return it via e-mail till December 27, 2004.

    We appreciate your cooperation! Thank you!

    The English and Russian verisons of the cheklists is availble on the
    following adress:

    http://www.cenn.org/info/CENN_Evaluation_Rus_04.doc
    http://www.cenn.org/info/CENN_Evaluation_Eng_04.doc


    2. "THE PUBLIC EYE AWARDS - "26/27 JANUARY 2005, DAVOS/SWITZERLAND

    Dear friends,

    Every year in January, the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathers its
    business leaders and the world's political and media elite in Davos.
    Current global political issues are discussed and trends in the future
    development of global business are set. For the sixth time, the
    international NGO coalition "The Public Eye on Davos" will be present in
    Davos with an alternative event at the same time and place as the WEF.
    The highlight of next year's "Public Eye" will be an Awards Ceremony.
    Candidates for the awards are WEF corporate members and other companies
    that have excelled in socially and environmentally irresponsible
    behavior. The "Public Eye Awards" are given in the categories human
    rights, environment, labor law and taxes.

    In the meantime, we received numerous nominations (the deadline was 31
    October 2004). They can be viewed from January 11, 2005 (date of the
    press conference) onwards at: www.evb.ch/nominations.htm
    <http://www.evb.ch/nominations.htm>. The award winners will be presented
    at the Awards Ceremony to be held on 26 January 2005 in Davos. The Swiss
    actor and cabaret artist Patrick Frey will present the event.

    For the full program of the "Public Eye" event please go to:
    <http://www.evb.ch/index.cfm?page_id=3167&archive=none>

    With kind regards,

    Matthias Herfeldt
    Coordinator "The Public Eye on Davos"
    Berne Declaration


    3. TRAINING SESSIONS IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

    Dear Sir / Madam,

    Please allow me to introduce myself: My name is Kamala Laghate and I
    work for the Netherlands Helsinki Committee as project organizer.

    In May we will hold the fifth of a series of five Practical Training
    sessions in International Human Rights Litigation. This training will
    take place in the Netherlands from 9th to 20th of May 2005. The emphasis
    is on non-discrimination and minority rights.

    It is meant for lawyers and judges from the Caucasus region who deal
    with human rights issues (especially non-discrimination and minority
    rights) professionally, who litigate in court and could be placed in the
    position to bring a case to Strasbourg.

    Please find additional info on the programme in the attachments as well
    as the application form.

    The deadline for submitting the application is January 15th, 2005.

    I kindly request you to distribute the information on the training to
    other relevant organisations (such as bar / judiciary associations,
    human rights organisations, courts) and individuals whom you think would
    be interested in participating. The training will be taught in English,
    so the applicant should be fluent in this language.

    As we are based in the Netherlands and have not established many
    contacts in your country yet I would really appreciate it if you would
    help me in finding participants for
    this course.

    Thank you very much in advance!

    Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

    Yours sincerely,

    Kamala Laghate
    Netherlands Helsinki Committee
    P.O. Box 93132
    2509 AC The Hague, the Netherlands
    T: +31 70 392 6700
    F: +31 70 392 6550
    www.nhc.nl


    4. BP AND BRITISH COUNCIL ANNOUNCE SUCCESSFUL SCHOLARSHIP CANDIDATES

    Source: The Messenger, December 17, 2004

    On December 16, 2004 BP Georgia and the British Council announced the
    selection of their candidates for a new international scholarship
    program, targeting leaders in a wide range of study fields from
    businesses to media.

    The BP-funded program, launched in October, will send 10 students to
    study Masters level courses in the UK for a period of 12 months. The
    British Council will manage this program that received more than 250
    applications alongside the UK government's Chevening scholarships
    program.

    The announcement follows BP's recent commitment to a new social
    investment program for Georgia, through which – in consultation with the
    Georgian government – it will invest US $10 million in arrange of
    projects covering areas such as education and healthcare.

    Head of BP Georgia, Wref Digings says: "This scholarship program is part
    of our commitment to successful, long term relationship with Georgia. It
    is the first step in our education program that is set to expand to
    include other long distance learning opportunities for Georgians. It
    also fits well with BP's global emphasis on the role of education in the
    development of enterprise and civil society."

    Jo Bakowski, Director of the British Council in Georgia, adds: "WE have
    been managing scholarship programs for the more than 10 years and they
    are one of our most important activities, clearly demonstrated by the
    achievements of our alumni. The candidates selected fort the BP program
    are of similarly high standard and have shown how their studies could
    contribute to positive change in Georgia."

    The fields covered by the scholarship are: banking, finance and
    economics (including insurance); business studies; management
    (agriculture, education, energy, health and transport); human rights;
    law; media; social and political studies; built environment (includes
    architecture, urban planning and design); and international relations
    and diplomatic studies.

    For further information on program, please visit the British Council
    website at: http://www.britishcouncil.org.ge


    5. AUA PROMOTES ANTI-SMOKING MOVEMENT

    PRESS RELEASE

    December 16, 2004

    American University of Armenia Corporation
    300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
    Oakland, CA 94612
    Telephone: (510) 987-9452
    Fax: (510) 208-3576

    Contact: Gohar Momjian
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Yerevan - On Friday, December 10, 2004, the Association of
    Caricaturists, the Armenian Public Health Alliance, the Coalition for
    Tobacco Free Armenia and the American University of Armenia hosted a
    public exhibition "Artists Against Smoking," as part of its approach to
    combat smoking in Armenia.
    The exhibition took place in the newly opened AUA Center Restaurant,
    which has a healthy working, non-smoking environment policy.

    With support from the Open Society institute, the Armenian Public Health
    Alliance, formed by the Armenian Public Health Association, the Armenian
    Public Health Union and the American University of Armenia, started an
    ambitious multi-pronged project to combat smoking in Armenia, including
    establishing the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Armenia (CTFA), which now
    includes 18 NGOs representing over eight hundred people committed to
    preventing the health consequences of tobacco smoke.

    Earlier in the year, on October 12, the American University of Armenia
    (AUA) hosted the first ever-national meeting of NGOs involved in
    fighting smoking in Armenia. At the conference, AUA President Haroutune
    Armenian emphasized that the Coalition for Tobacco Free Armenia (CTFA)
    demonstrates that Armenians can and will unite to protect the public's
    health.

    According to global tobacco expert, Dr. Richard Peto, the average
    Armenian male smoker loses 17 years of productive life due to smoking.
    Despite this shocking finding, smoking is not perceived as a problem by
    Armenian society, where 67% of adult males are estimated to smoke and 3%
    of females.

    Moreover, many wrongly believe that cigarette manufacturing is a benefit
    to the country's economy, looking only at the jobs and tax revenue
    created by the industry, without accounting for health and other costs
    paid by the government and by society at large. This false image of
    tobacco industry is maintained by sophisticated advertisements and other
    misleading practices seen throughout the world.

    Empowering people and building public support for tough tobacco control
    policy measures was and remains the focus of the initiative.
    Established in June 2004, the Coalition for Tobacco Free Armenia became
    a member of the international Framework Convention Alliance, which
    unites about 200 organizations around the world in support of the WHO
    Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In June, CTFA Coordinator
    Narine Movsisyan, MD, MPH participated as an invited observer at the
    open-ended intergovernmental meeting on tobacco control in Geneva. In
    her words, it was "a great experience to learn from international
    tobacco control activists. Lobbying was a bad word in the soviet times.
    I would never have imagined that lobbying could be pro-human,
    pro-health. Like the smokers we are trying to educate, we have to open
    our minds and re-think many concepts."

    In a country in transition like Armenia, economic arguments can be very
    powerful. Thus, demonstrating the long-term effects of tobacco control
    as opposed to short-term economic benefits of tobacco growing and
    manufacturing is of critical importance. Armenian Public Health Alliance
    experts developed a comprehensive informational package for Armenian
    policy and decision makers. The infopack called "Contemporary Issues on
    Tobacco Control in Armenia" examined health, social and economic aspects
    of the situation in Armenia and suggested appropriate solutions in light
    of international experience. The Armenian Public Health Alliance's
    infopack was a critical reference at the November 17 Parliamentary
    hearings on tobacco control.

    The CTFA successfully lobbied Parliament to adopt the Framework
    Convention on Tobacco Control and is now lobbying for similarly strict
    supporting legislation, in coordination with the Ministry of Health
    National Tobacco Control Program led by Dr. Alexander Bazarchyan and
    Chair of Parliamentary Committee on Science, Education, Culture, and
    Youth, Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan.

    As Armenian Public Health Alliance member Hovhannes Margaryants,
    President of the Armenian Public Health Union, noted, "We intend to
    stimulate a dialogue within our society and build a new non-smoking
    culture. We are looking for allies and partners among journalists,
    medical, cultural, business and political elite as well as parents and
    other "ordinary" citizens. Everyone concerned with building a healthier
    and safer homeland for all Armenians is welcomed."

    The "Artists Against Smoking" exhibition was organized within the
    framework of the tobacco control project with support from the Open
    Society Institute Assistance Foundation. The Association of
    Caricaturists presented approximately 40 antismoking drawings. AUA
    members along with guests and representatives from Ministry of Culture,
    Youth Affaires and Sport, Academy of Art, international organizations
    and local agencies expressed their appreciation and noted that both the
    exhibition and non-smoking Restaurant are a novelty for Armenia.

    CTFA Coordinator Narine Movsisyan stated, "It's a challenge to change
    people's unhealthy behavior. Today's exhibition is an attempt to talk to
    people on a language of humor and satire. We believe that laugh can be
    curative." The opening was followed by light reception and broad local
    media coverage. The Exhibition will be open for public at large through
    December 17th in the AUA Club Restaurant.


    6. HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENT

    Source: Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter, December 10-16, 2004

    On December 10, 2004 on the International Day of Human Rights in Yerevan
    the ceremony of awarding monetary prizes to the winners of competition
    "Human Rights and Environment" was held. The competition was
    administrated by the OSCE Office in Yerevan jointly with the Public
    (Airbus) Center of Environmental Information.

    In the nomination "Print media" the first prize was awarded to Susanna
    Shakhnazarian ("Ban ev Gorts", Syunik region), the second - to Karineh
    Danielian ("Azg", Yerevan), the third - to Arthur Sakunts and Narineh
    Bulghadarian ("Civil Initiative", Vanadzor). Encouraging prizes in this
    nomination were conferred on Anush Sargsian ("Loru Marz", Lori region)
    and Sarah Petrosian ("Investigative Journalists" public organization).

    In the nomination "TV Journalism" the first prize was granted to Edik
    Baghdasarian ("Versus" studio, Yerevan), the second - to Satenik
    Kaghzvantsian (free-lance journalist, Shirak region), the third - to
    Valery Gasparian (Armenian branch of "Mir" Interstate TV and Radio
    Company). Encouraging prizes were also conferred on Nelly Danielian
    ("Yerkir-Media", Yerevan) and Stella Martirosian ("Shoghakat", Yerevan).

    Special prize was awarded to the film of Hrachia Papinian ("Ankyun+3",
    Lori region).




    --
    *******************************************
    CENN INFO
    Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

    Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
    Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
    E-mail: [email protected]
    URL: www.cenn.org

    --Boundary_(ID_cbIJSUMVwgWOXCthoMhvhQ)--
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