Post by pieter on Aug 30, 2006 15:56:30 GMT -7
The Stefan Batory Foundation
Mission statement
The Stefan Batory Foundation is an independent private Polish foundation established by American financier and philanthropist George Soros and registered in Poland in May 1988. Named after the 16th century king of Poland of Hungarian extraction the Foundation’s mission is to support the development of an open, democratic society in Poland and other Central and East European countries. The Foundation’s activities are funded by the Open Society Institute, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, the Ford Foundation, Robert Bosch Stiftung and other institutional and individual donors in Poland and abroad.
The key priorities of the Foundation are:
- Enhance the role and involvement of civil society
We are committed to assist the building of civil society in Poland and throughout the Region. We want a society in which citizens have a sense of shared responsibility for the democratic process and are not expecting all their issues to be tackled by the state but organise themselves around their needs, opinions and desires. Therefore, we support a variety of public initiatives, mainly independent non-governmental groups which are active wherever the role or capacity of the state is limited, which contribute to increased public participation in public affairs and create equal opportunities for the weaker or disabled.
- Promote civil liberties and the rule of law
The respect for the rule of law, the transparency of public life, protection of civil liberties, minority rights, the rights of women, children and people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees – they are the cornerstone of democracy which we want to promote in Poland and other countries of the Region. We provide support to projects which enhance legal or civic education, measures to improve public access to legal aid and justice. We promote the understanding and methodology of public scrutiny of administration and the protection of the rights of individuals against any forms of abuse of power.
- Develop international co-operation and solidarity
States have clearly defined borders. However, nations and societies should interact and enrich one another. We support projects that foster the exchange of experience with political transition, build civil society and solve social problems between Central and Eastern European countries. We are active towards rapprochement between the East and West and we object to the reestablishment of a new “iron curtain” on the eastern border of Poland. We seek the strengthening of the role of civic initiative in international relations and unity in the search for democracy and human rights.
The Foundation works proactively, encouraging long-term thinking, partnership between the public and private sectors, innovative approaches, and coalition building in addressing social problems. In its activity, the Foundation is guided by the principles of transparency, openness and accountability. Its finances are professionally audited and published in the Annual Report, together with a list of grants awarded and projects implemented throughout the year.
The basic method of Foundation’s operation is grantmaking. The Foundation also serves as a forum for activity, organizing conferences, debates and training seminars, publishing policy papers and reports, and initiating awareness campaigns. The Foundation encourages solidarity and generosity by offering administration of namedfunds and corporate funds to support initiatives that serve the public interest.
Statement of the Open society Institute (Soros foundation) about the
The Stefan Batory Foundation:
The Stefan Batory Foundation was named after the 16th-century king of Poland who epitomizes the spirit of European solidarity and culture. The foundation’s key priorities are to support democracy, enhance the role and involvement of civil society, promote civil liberties and the rule of law, develop a market economy, and foster international cooperation and solidarity.
The foundation is guided by several principles: It is independent of all state and political institutions; responds to existing needs; initiates programs and fosters ideas that promote an open society; and maintains transparency in all grantmaking activities and finances.
The foundation has focused on issues such as EU accession; increasing political participation; protecting human rights; addressing distrust of professionals such as politicians, lawyers, journalists, doctors, and teachers; ensuring access to information; combating political corruption; and increasing accountability.
Links:
Source of the first text: www.batory.org.pl/english/index.htm
www.ceetrust.org/
www.fordfound.org/
www.bosch-stiftung.de/
www.mott.org/
www.agora.pl/agora_pl/0,66489.html
Mission statement
The Stefan Batory Foundation is an independent private Polish foundation established by American financier and philanthropist George Soros and registered in Poland in May 1988. Named after the 16th century king of Poland of Hungarian extraction the Foundation’s mission is to support the development of an open, democratic society in Poland and other Central and East European countries. The Foundation’s activities are funded by the Open Society Institute, Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, the Ford Foundation, Robert Bosch Stiftung and other institutional and individual donors in Poland and abroad.
The key priorities of the Foundation are:
- Enhance the role and involvement of civil society
We are committed to assist the building of civil society in Poland and throughout the Region. We want a society in which citizens have a sense of shared responsibility for the democratic process and are not expecting all their issues to be tackled by the state but organise themselves around their needs, opinions and desires. Therefore, we support a variety of public initiatives, mainly independent non-governmental groups which are active wherever the role or capacity of the state is limited, which contribute to increased public participation in public affairs and create equal opportunities for the weaker or disabled.
- Promote civil liberties and the rule of law
The respect for the rule of law, the transparency of public life, protection of civil liberties, minority rights, the rights of women, children and people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees – they are the cornerstone of democracy which we want to promote in Poland and other countries of the Region. We provide support to projects which enhance legal or civic education, measures to improve public access to legal aid and justice. We promote the understanding and methodology of public scrutiny of administration and the protection of the rights of individuals against any forms of abuse of power.
- Develop international co-operation and solidarity
States have clearly defined borders. However, nations and societies should interact and enrich one another. We support projects that foster the exchange of experience with political transition, build civil society and solve social problems between Central and Eastern European countries. We are active towards rapprochement between the East and West and we object to the reestablishment of a new “iron curtain” on the eastern border of Poland. We seek the strengthening of the role of civic initiative in international relations and unity in the search for democracy and human rights.
The Foundation works proactively, encouraging long-term thinking, partnership between the public and private sectors, innovative approaches, and coalition building in addressing social problems. In its activity, the Foundation is guided by the principles of transparency, openness and accountability. Its finances are professionally audited and published in the Annual Report, together with a list of grants awarded and projects implemented throughout the year.
The basic method of Foundation’s operation is grantmaking. The Foundation also serves as a forum for activity, organizing conferences, debates and training seminars, publishing policy papers and reports, and initiating awareness campaigns. The Foundation encourages solidarity and generosity by offering administration of namedfunds and corporate funds to support initiatives that serve the public interest.
Statement of the Open society Institute (Soros foundation) about the
The Stefan Batory Foundation:
The Stefan Batory Foundation was named after the 16th-century king of Poland who epitomizes the spirit of European solidarity and culture. The foundation’s key priorities are to support democracy, enhance the role and involvement of civil society, promote civil liberties and the rule of law, develop a market economy, and foster international cooperation and solidarity.
The foundation is guided by several principles: It is independent of all state and political institutions; responds to existing needs; initiates programs and fosters ideas that promote an open society; and maintains transparency in all grantmaking activities and finances.
The foundation has focused on issues such as EU accession; increasing political participation; protecting human rights; addressing distrust of professionals such as politicians, lawyers, journalists, doctors, and teachers; ensuring access to information; combating political corruption; and increasing accountability.
Links:
Source of the first text: www.batory.org.pl/english/index.htm
www.ceetrust.org/
www.fordfound.org/
www.bosch-stiftung.de/
www.mott.org/
www.agora.pl/agora_pl/0,66489.html