Events of EFUCA
The General Assembly of the European Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (EFUCA), a non-governmental international organization, uniting more than 20 national federations, clubs, UNESCO centers and associations throughout Europe and the United States, met in Minsk on November 11-13, 2016.
About 70 experts, presidents of National Federations of UNSECO Clubs, Centers and Associations, teachers, young leaders from Romania, Serbia, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, the USA, Sweden, Pakistan and other countries became participants of the Assembly.
The representatives of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Foreign affairs, National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the Republic of Belarus, informational and educational establishment ‘New Eurasia’ were the guests of honor at the opening ceremony.
The General Assembly was timed to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the foundation of EFUCA. The event program included summing up the results of the activity of the past period, election of the new Executive Board of the Federation, and holding two Executive Board meetings.
The results of the General Assembly are:
- renaming of the organization from the European into the European and North American Federation;
- signing of 10 memorandums of cooperation in culture, education, communication, youth exchanges, joint projects between the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs and 10 National Federations from 10 countries of Europe and the USA;
- election of the new Executive Board of the organization for the next 4 years. Daniela Popescu (Romania) has been elected the president of the Federation, and Dzmitry Substelny (Belarus), Aleksandar Protić (France), Maria Paola Azzario (Italy) have been elected the vice presidents, and Marina Christophides (Cyprus) is Secretary General.
- decision to use modern Internet technologies more actively in the joint efforts aimed at the cross-cultural dialogue and promotion of the ideas of peace. The developments of the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs, for example, the portal of distance learning, the online news magazine, etc. will become a basis.
Foreign participants had an opportunity to learn more about the activity of the Belarusian UNESCO clubs in Minsk, educational institutions, to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mir and Nesvizh.
The performance of the national ensemble of song and dance ‘Yarytsa’ became a unique part of the program which allowed the guests to get closer to the Belarusian national culture and traditions.
The main mission of EFUCA is promotion of peace, development and cooperation.