Visegrad Summer School

Magda Vášáryová

7.7.2014

My My adventure with NGOsadventure with NGOs

• 1990 – 1993 → ambassador in Austria – clerk

• 1993 → NGO SFPA – founder

• 1999 → presidential candidacy – executive

• 2000 – 2005 → ambassador in Poland – clerk

• 2005 – 2006 → Secretary of State of the MFA SR – politician

• 2006 - member of parliament – politician

• 2007 – NGO Via Cultura, IKP – founder

When actually an When actually an inhabitant became a inhabitant became a

citizen?citizen?• civil society emerged as a consequence of the Enlightenment

• The French revolution (1789)

• civil society expropriates what was part of the religion before consequence of liberal Protestantism

• the year 1789 is not universal for the whole world

• abolition of serfdom - revolutionary year 1848

• the voice of active citizens in Central Europe – in 1989

• state lost its monopoly for political life

Totalitarian regimes Totalitarian regimes constrained freedom to constrained freedom to

establish NGOsestablish NGOs... but some NGOs existed

The House of Gardeners

Stamp collectors

Fishing associations

Our homeland will be beautifull and rich

In solid union of workers and peasants...A happiness and wealth of our people grows

We honestly fulfill tasks at the construction sites of youth...Come among us!

Inhabitants should have been Inhabitants should have been happy, always smilinghappy, always smiling

The fundamental question The fundamental question today soundstoday sounds

How is it possible that even intelligent people have fallen into the trap of

these kind of propaganda?

Ilia ErenburgMartin Heidegger

Big Brother watched...Big Brother watched...

Alexandr Solženicyn

... in prisons and gulags

Why Charter 77 was not an NGO?

Because then Ministry of the Interior of socialist Czechoslovakia would not have registered it. On the contrary, it would have imprisoned its participants.

Signature of Václav Havel under the Charter 77

WHY?WHY?

Civil society associated in NGOs is one of the most important

sources of critical thinking.

1989

The year of liberation of the citizens within V4 countries

Slovak NGOs CaseSlovak NGOs CaseŽivena (1869; rebuilt in 1989) – the oldest Slovak women association; as the first NGO

SAIA (1990) - Slovak Academic Information Agency assists to internationalization of education and science in Slovakia

SFPA (1993) – Slovak Foreign Policy Association serves as a discuss forum international issues and foreign policy in Slovakia

IVO (1997) Institute for Public Affairs is think-tank producing independent analysis of public policy issues

International NGOs International NGOs „pressure“„pressure“

Transparency International

Amnesty International

Greenpeace

The main problem with The main problem with NGOsNGOs

FINANCESFINANCES

• an enormous technological, cultural and institutional debts of post-communist countries

• lack of prosperous and stable companies

• lack of valid information and contacts

• lack of modern legislative and good judges

Key problem of financial Key problem of financial resources (again!)resources (again!)

1. Resource: western foundations (U.S., Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Switzerland)

2. Resource: embassies (Norwegian Funds, the Netherlands, Belgium, Taiwan)

3. Resource: supranational corporations (Siemens, Eset,...)

4. Resource: domestic – 2% from taxes (asignation of 2%)

5. The biggest resource: voluntary contributions

Villa Decius Association Villa Decius Association ((19951995))

• very good example how to revive tradition

•how to restore and modernise Villa

•how to fill Villa with many activities and especially young people

•how to strengthen amicus certus in paradis terrestiare

•how to continue what started in 1528

• the result - centre of Cracow humanism

Crucial year for NGOs in Crucial year for NGOs in Slovakia Slovakia

• parliamentary elections in 1998

• emergence of the Third sector

• Citizen eye

• record 80% turnout of first-time voters

Golden age of NGOs Golden age of NGOs (from political point of (from political point of

view)view)

• struggle for saving democracy and western orientation of V4 countries

• help for those who did not succeed

• fight against anti-European propaganda in V4

Continuation...Continuation...

• Diverzification of NGOs – national– regional– international politics – education – CHARITY– the result: new Mr.

President of Slovakia!

NGOs are not a magic NGOs are not a magic formula for problems of all formula for problems of all

kindkind

• NGOs established by „straw men“

• pseudoNGOs with clear political aims

• NGOs as a centre of radical thoughts

• NGOs as a quiet port for retired experts

• NGOs as cache for uncooperative individualists

WHYWHY??

PositivesPositives• work for NGO as religiousness that spilt from

outside to inside towards open humanism

• work for NGO as creative temporary employment

• work for NGO as unique experience of personal development

• work for NGO as source of critical thinking

• work in flexible structure

NegativesNegatives• critical thinking without responsibility

• danger of permanent moralizing • stagnation in „pullover culture“

• result of frustration or excessive enthusiasm

result is adolescent requests

BUT...BUT...

Who was not in NGO does not know what it means to be a citizen of 21st

century

As a volunteerAs an employer

As an expertAs a supporter

... however

Who thinks that work for an NGO is a lifelong employment – takes a great

risk

U.S. citizens constantly switch among functions

NGO executive parliament academics NGO executive ...