[CivilSoc] STATEMENT of the Republic of Karelia Open Society Friends' For um

Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:37:31 +0300

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STATEMENT
of the Republic of Karelia Open Society Friends' Forum
We, Participants of the First Republic of Karelia Open Society Friends' =
Forum, having met in Petrozavodsk on October 30-31, 2001, would like to =
stress a relatively favorable atmosphere for democratic development in =
Karelia, with the traditions of mutual understanding and concord between =
various social, ethnic and religious groups; establishment of the =
foundations for the rule of law.
The Republic of Karelia geopolitical position in the Northwest Russia, =
the extensive border with Finland/European Union make Karelia both a =
region of transition between the East and the West, and a region =
dynamically absorbing the basic values of the open society.
With a view to promoting the civil society development in Russia and =
Karelia we declare our commitment to the principles of tolerance and =
nonviolence.
We believe that at the current stage efficient formation of the civil =
society and the rule of law in Russia requires: tangible interactions =
between the society and the authorities at all levels from the national =
to the local; ensuring participation of public associations in =
decision-making concerning the pressing issues of national development; =
improving the legal tools and mechanisms for efficient activities and =
development of the civil society institutions; strengthening networks of =
non-governmental bodies, particularly using modern information =
technologies.
We maintain that interactions between the authorities and the =
non-governmental, third sector may take the form of: participation of =
public associations in collaborative decision-making on various problems =
of the economic, social and cultural life; public control over current =
activities of governmental bodies, expert assessment of legal and =
administrative documents.
We suggest: introducing amendments to the Russian Federation national =
and regional laws to remove excessive limitations on the development of =
charity activities undertaken jointly by non-profit organizations and =
businesses; defining the political and legal mechanisms for social =
partnership between the state and non-governmental organizations by =
establishing legally binding principles and forms of public =
participation in governmental decision-making, including legal =
introduction of state and municipal orders in the preparation and =
implementation of state and municipal social target-oriented programs.
We are convinced of the paramount importance of close cooperation =
between mass media and NGO's, assuming that this cooperation is crucial =
for securing the independence of these two sectors of the society. Mass =
media would win more trust among people by approaching their demands and =
consistently safeguarding their rights.
We believe that the situation with human rights both in Karelia and =
Russia at large remains quite strenuous, and hold that one of the chief =
reasons for that is the lack of awareness among the public and =
authorities of the human rights laws, as well as of the ways of =
upholding the rights. Violation of human rights is largely a consequence =
of the law nihilism and the low level of the legal culture both in the =
society and among the authorities. A vital pre-condition for the civil =
society establishment in Russia today is awareness building on legal and =
political issues.
We are inviting everybody interested in the prosperity of Russia and =
Karelia, regardless of the social status and political preferences, to =
collaborate in the development of the civil society.
Adopted on October 31, 2001 Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia,
[email protected]
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Cyr" size=3D2><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P align=3Dcenter>STATEMENT</P>
<P align=3Dcenter>of the Republic of Karelia Open Society Friends’ =
Forum</P></B>
<P align=3Djustify> </P>
<P align=3Djustify>We, Participants of the First Republic of Karelia =
Open Society=20
Friends’ Forum, having met in Petrozavodsk on October 30-31, 2001, =
would like to=20
stress a relatively favorable atmosphere for democratic development in =
Karelia,=20
with the traditions of mutual understanding and concord between various =
social,=20
ethnic and religious groups; establishment of the foundations for the =
rule of=20
law.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>The Republic of Karelia geopolitical position in the =
Northwest=20
Russia, the extensive border with Finland/European Union make Karelia =
both a=20
region of transition between the East and the West, and a region =
dynamically=20
absorbing the basic values of the open society.</P>
<P align=3Djustify>With a view to promoting the civil society =
development in=20
Russia and Karelia <B>we declare</B> our commitment to the principles of =
tolerance and nonviolence.</P><B>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We believe</B> that at the current stage efficient =
formation of=20
the civil society and the rule of law in Russia requires: tangible =
interactions=20
between the society and the authorities at all levels from the national =
to the=20
local; ensuring participation of public associations in decision-making=20
concerning the pressing issues of national development; improving the =
legal=20
tools and mechanisms for efficient activities and development of the =
civil=20
society institutions; strengthening networks of non-governmental bodies, =
particularly using modern information technologies.</P><B>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We maintain</B> that interactions between the =
authorities and=20
the non-governmental, third sector may take the form of: participation =
of public=20
associations in collaborative decision-making on various problems of the =
economic, social and cultural life; public control over current =
activities of=20
governmental bodies, expert assessment of legal and administrative=20
documents.</P><B>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We suggest</B>: introducing amendments to the Russian =
Federation national and regional laws to remove excessive limitations on =
the=20
development of charity activities undertaken jointly by non-profit =
organizations=20
and businesses; defining the political and legal mechanisms for social=20
partnership between the state and non-governmental organizations by =
establishing=20
legally binding principles and forms of public participation in =
governmental=20
decision-making, including legal introduction of state and municipal =
orders in=20
the preparation and implementation of state and municipal social =
target-oriented=20
programs.</P><B>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We are convinced</B> of the paramount importance of =
close=20
cooperation between mass media and NGO’s, assuming that this =
cooperation is=20
crucial for securing the independence of these two sectors of the =
society. Mass=20
media would win more trust among people by approaching their demands and =
consistently safeguarding their rights.</P><B>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We believe</B> that the situation with human rights =
both in=20
Karelia and Russia at large remains quite strenuous, and hold that one =
of the=20
chief reasons for that is the lack of awareness among the public and =
authorities=20
of the human rights laws, as well as of the ways of upholding the =
rights.=20
Violation of human rights is largely a consequence of the law nihilism =
and the=20
low level of the legal culture both in the society and among the =
authorities.=20
<B>A vital pre-condition for the civil society establishment in Russia =
today is=20
awareness building on legal and political issues.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify>We are inviting</B><I> </I>everybody interested in =
the=20
prosperity of Russia and Karelia, regardless of the social status and =
political=20
preferences, to collaborate in the development of the civil society.</P>
<P align=3Djustify></P>
<P align=3Djustify> </P>
<P align=3Djustify>Adopted on October 31, 2001 Petrozavodsk, Republic of =
Karelia,</P>
<P=20
align=3Djustify>[email protected]</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY=
></HTML>

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