Annual Report 1999

The European Academy "Civil Society" is a non-profit making public organisation that began operating in 1995 as part of EPIcenter. It obtained its present legal status in 1998. It has a Board (President Tatyana Yarigina, Vice-President Boris Khlebnikov) and Directorate (Director Elena Lerman).

The Academy engages in research, information, intermediary and organisational activities related to the emergence and development of a civil society in Russia. The Academy is primarily active in the following areas: civil society and "third sector", journalism and public relations, local self-government, social monitoring, "women's forum", economic ethics and Russia and the European Union. The Club of Baden-Wuerttemberg Friends was also created under the Academy.

The Academy focuses first and foremost on Russia's regions. It maintains close connections with over 30 regions in Russia. These connections and regular contacts have developed into a broad network embracing a wide range of "multipliers", i.e. the most active participants in both state and public life, the initiators of public dialogue (representatives of political parties, state structures and local self-government bodies, journalists, press secretaries, heads and active members of public organisations, experts in civil society and other fields that meet the scope of the activity of the Academy).

The Academy also tries to facilitate the development of not only inter-regional, but also international public contacts. Each year the Academy holds four or five international seminars or conferences and actively participates in a system of international exchanges acting as an intermediary in the organisation of professional internship courses, screening candidates for language courses, and conducts other qualification programmes as part of its profile.

At the same time the Academy tries in every possible way to encourage foreign experts to participate in different programmes and projects in Russia's regions for the mutual exchange of experience of Russian and foreign specialists, especially in such important aspects behind the construction of civil society as the social sphere, local self-government and mass media. Owing to the specifics of each main field of activity, the Academy uses different forms of work from research reports and the collection of the data to conferences and seminars, the formation of contact networks, broad-scale information exchange, the publication of Russian and foreign materials, booklets and books, etc.

The Academy also thinks that it is very important to fully employ all the opportunities offered by its Internet site (www.academy-go.ru). At present the contact network of the Academy embraces 150 "multipliers" in several dozens cities and regions of Russia; has attracted over 300 regular subscribers for its analytical and information materials, publications, booklets and books, whereas the annual number of such publications totals 35-40, with a total circulation of up to 30,000-40,000 copies; maintains links with over 100 regional mass media, press-services, research and public organisations. In its activity the Academy relies on the support of a number of domestic and foreign state and public organisations.

Organised by: the Merchant and Manufacturers' Society of Belgorod Region, the "Civil Society" Academy, Koerber Stiftung (The Koerber Foundation), Humburg, Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), Deutsche Network Wirtshaft Etik (German Network of Economic Ethics).

Basic reports were made by: Dr Tatyana Yarigina (Deputy of the State Duma), Dr Josef Wieland (Ingolstadt University), Dr Reiner Oehlslaeger (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), Igor Gladkov (Chairman of the Merchant and Manufacturers' Society of Belgorod Region), Prof. V. Skvortzov (Belgorod).

Social psychologists Dr M. Ivanov and M. Shusterman also participated in the seminar.

Business ethics are an integral part of successful market promotion, rather than an exotic style of doing business. The goal of the international seminar was to determine this problem in modern business and its acuteness for Russian businessmen. The Russian and German speakers not only analysed the situation in business, but also proposed definite ways to improve economic links between Russia and Germany. The thesis - that there is no developed market without a moral basis - was not questioned by the businessmen from Belgorod. But what ways and means can be employed here? How can businessmen build relationships between themselves? How can they consolidate a company’s reputation? How can they withstand the illegal actions of the authorities and dishonest market games? To answer these questions, we will need to clarify which moral values are of special importance for businessmen. What do Russian and German businessmen expect from their partners? The participants of the seminar tried to determine the most important values for business for both sides. There are definitely common and different approaches to values. The two days of the seminar's work resulted in a clarification of positions. The dialogue has not ended yet. Russian businessmen see the main goal not only in continuation of the discussion, but also in the development of standards and techniques of ethical behaviour on the market. The businessmen from Belgorod think that the most urgent tasks here are the development of an ethical code for a businessman and the formation of a network of Russian economic ethics. The programme will be continued in 2000.

The seminar was conducted as part of the project "The Problems of Civil Society Formation".

Organised by: Landeszentrale fuer politische Buildung Baden-Wuerttemberg (the Centre for Political Education of Baden-Wuerttemberg), Osteuropazentrum Universitaet Hohenheim (the Centre for Eastern Europe Studies of the Hohenheim University), Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), the "Civil Society" Academy.

The Russian delegation comprised 13 people, including deputies from the State Duma - Tatyana Yarigina, Olga Beklemyscheva, Sergei Mitrokhin and Valeriy Borschyov; Prof. Furman, Prof. Vodolazov, Prof. Borodkin, as well as political scientists and lawyers. The German side was represented by German experts - specialists in history and civil society studies - Prof. Martin Greiffenhagen and Prof. Silvia Greiffenhagen, Dr Hans-Georg Wehling, Dr Konrad Hummel (Minister in the Baden-Wuerttemberg government).

The main goal of the seminar was to study the experience of civil society in Germany and discuss possible ways of developing democracy in Russia. Democracy means more than simply a Constitution and democratic institutions. The bearers of democracy are the citizens who assume responsibility for democracy. Germany had to learn this through its painful experience before a stable democracy was created there after World War II. Democracy and the functioning of its institutions require learning. This is assisted by a free press and the whole range of public groups representing organised interests, other associations and civil initiatives. A real democracy, whose bearers are the citizens of the country, needs real channels of public influence which citizens can use to articulate their political interests. These interests should be considered in political decision-making. These ideas represented the main conclusion of the discussions between Russian and German experts.

Organised by: the "Civil Society" Academy, Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart).

The number of participants: five Russian and seven German experts on the problems of the elderly.
The meeting took place as part of the programme "The Elderly in Europe". The reports and discussions evolved around the problems of social, psychological and economic adaptation of the people of the "third age" in Russia and Europe, analysis of the demographic situation, the issues of healthcare, social assistance and participation. A detailed report of the meeting was published in the "Psychology of the Mature Age and The Elderly" journal, No2, 1999. Also a plan to prepare an annual conference "The Elderly Europe" (to take place in autumn, 2000) was developed.

Report of the President of the Academy Dr Tatyana Yarigina "Social Policies in Russia in the Period of Crisis". This was the first time that the Foundation, which finances programmes for Eastern Europe gave the floor to a Russian expert. Prospects for cooperation between the Academy and German charitable organisations were also discussed during the conference.

The Academy took part in the development of the programme of the ceremony and awarding of the prize. (The Secretary of the jury was Boris Khlebnikov, Vice-President of the Academy). Tatyana Yarigina was invited to the ceremony as guest of honour. The prize was won by a well-known German publicist Gerd Ruge. The slogan of the ceremony are the words of Father Alexander Men "For the Oecumenism of culture", which also corresponds to the aims and goals of the Academy.

Organised by: Deutsche Geselschaft fuer Osteuropakunde e.V. (German Society for East European Studies), Berlin, and the Academy "Civil Society".

The report "The Political Situation in Russia on the Threshold of Parliamentary Elections" was made by the President of the Academy Dr Tatyana Yarigina. Over 60 people, including representatives of the mass media, political, public and research organisations, businessmen participated in the meeting.

Meeting of experts and discussion of the preparation for the international conference "The Elderly in Europe", visits to the institutions of social aid for the elderly and orphans in Moscow by a delegation from the Renovabis Foundation and specialists from the Episcopal Academy of Stuttgart.

The report "The Informal Economy in Russia" by Boris Khlebnikov, Vice-President of the Academy, for 25 stipend winners of the German Network of Economic Ethics and different German universities. A detailed report was published on the site of the German Network of Economic Ethics and in their monthly bulletin.

Several meetings of the initiative group that included students of the Faculty of Management of Moscow State University and the Linguistic University were held. Reports covering the history of dialogue-based academies and the role of dialogue institutions in modern Europe, as well as Russian youth and students organisations for political education, were made for the students. The lecturers included Dr Tatyana Yarigina, Prof. Grigory.Vodolazov and Boris Khlebnikov.

The competition was conducted jointly with the Goethe Institut in Moscow, "Journalist" journal and the East European Centre of Hohenheim University. Competition terms were published in "Journalist" No 9, 1998.

The goal of the competition was to find a group of journalists interested in European integration and relationships between Russia and Germany. Competition prizes included internship trips, educational trips and participation in Academy projects.

Number of participants: 45 people from different Russian regions. Over 70 works were sent to the competition. The competition jury selected 17 applicants. The competition results were published in the "Journalist", No 8, 1999.

Under the terms of the competition, eight participants were invited to Stuttgart to participate in " Eastern Europe Weeks", while six participated in the seminar "Free Press in the Democratic State" in Berlin. Three participants will make internship trips in 2000.

Organised by: Osteuropazentrum Universitaet Hohenheim (the Centre for Eastern Europe
Studies of the Hohenheim University), Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), the "Civil Society" Academy.

Number of participants: 13 Russian journalists from 10 regions of Russia (Astrakhan, Polyessk, Kaluga, Moscow, Neftekamsk, St Petersburg, Sochi, Petrozavodsk, Belgorod, Bryansk) and 15 journalists from Eastern European countries (Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Byelorussia).

The seminar was conducted for the third time as part of the "The Eastern Europe Weeks in the Hohenheim University" programme. Preparation of such seminars include the most important stage for choosing and preparing participants. The participants are chosen via a competition. Organisers receive the data on the professional interests of the applicants, their publications, data on their participation in international projects. All the participants receive materials on the topic of the seminar, which allow them to quickly adapt to the seminar from the very outset.
The goals of the seminar are as follows:
facilitate spread of information on European, in particular German, models of a socially-oriented state, civil society institutions and civil initiatives;
facilitate the development of contacts between the journalists from Eastern Europe and Russia, inter-cultural dialogue on the problems behind the formation of a civil society in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The seminar’s workshops interchanged with visits to different organisations of the social sphere. It should also be noted that the seminar was held at an extremely high professional level, covered a large number of topics and comprised balanced lectures and practical material. Another important element of the programme was active communication between the participants. The logic of the programme was to enable journalists to obtain an impression of the general model of social work in Germany, illustrated by examples. The articles of seminar participants were published in the annual collection "The Mirror of the Russian Press".

Organised by: the Europaeische Akademie Berlin e.V. (the European Academy in Berlin), the "Civil Society" Academy.

Number of participants: 13 people form Russian regions (Moscow, Ust-Ilimsk, Ekaterinburg, Bryansk, Severodvinsk, Nalchik, Kazan, Pertozavodsk, Pskov, Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Belgorod).

This seminar is held in Berlin every year. Participants are chosen after a competition. The preparatory work is the same as in other projects. The journalists could listen to a series of lectures on the mass media: legal status, economics, relationships with the power structures, educational system for journalists and professional organisations of journalists. During the seminar the participants visited the offices of newspapers, where very interesting and acute discussions between the Russian and German journalists took place. The Russian journalists jointly prepared an article for the German newspaper "The Russian Berlin". The articles of the participants of the seminar were published in the collection "the Mirror of the Press".

Organised by: the Europaeische Akademie Berlin e.V. (the European Academy in Berlin)
the "Civil Society" Academy.

Number of participants: 17 people, including Press Secretaries of governor and legislative assemblies of Samara, Krasnoyarsk, Sverdlovsk, Novgorod, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Leningrad Regions, Karelia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia republics, Altai Territory and the State Duma of the RF.

This was already the second seminar on this topic (the first one was held in 1998). The programme was drafted in such a way that Russian specialists had an opportunity to listen to the lectures and actually see different aspects of work of political bureaucracy in the executive and legislative authorities. In addition, the programme envisaged visits to the press services of public and commercial organisations and promotion agencies. During a discussion of the seminar’s results, participants noted that such programmes should be held in both Germany and Russia. The Press and Information Department of the Federal Government of Germany (Presse und Informationsamt der Bundesregierung), the Senate of Berlin and EPIcenter helped run the seminar.

The analytical group of the Center of Economic and Political Research (EPIcenter, Tatyana Yarigina is Head of the group) provides analytical and research assistance for Academy projects. The reports "The Formation of Civil Society in Russia" related to Academy projects are published regularly and are sent not only to subscribers, but also to all interested persons and organisations.

1. Collection of articles "The Ethics of Business", Moscow, EPIcenter, 500 copies
2. Collection of articles "The Problems of Ageing in Russia", edited by O.Krasnova. The collection includes 12 articles of Russian researchers translated into German. Will be edited by Dr Fred Karl and published with the support of the Kassel University, Germany. The Collection will appear at the conference "Elderly People in Europe".
3. Tatyana Yarigina "Women Can Do Everything…" EPIcenter, 1999, 18,000 copies
4. Tatyana Yarigina "Who Needs the State Duma?" EPIcenter, 1999, 22,000 copies
5. Over 20 articles and their translations covering the problems of the development of civil society were published at the Internet site of the Academy (www.academy-go.ru)
6. Collections of articles of seminar participants for "The Mirror of the Press", Nos 1,2,3. In 1999 the Academy also prepared its Internet site. This direction was considered the most important. The main task of the site is to establish inter-regional and international networks in public, political and cultural contacts. The site was opened on January 2, 2000.

"The Economic Ethics".
Head: Tatyana Yarigina.
Partners: Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), Koerber Stiftung (the Koerber Foundation), Deutsche Network Wirtshaft Etik
(German Network of Economic Ethics), the Merchant and Manufacturers' Society of Belgorod Region

"Elderly People in Europe".
Head: Tatyana Yarigina.
Partners: Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), the Renovabis Foundation, "The Psychology of Mature Age and the Elderly" journal.

"The Informal Economy".
Head: Boris Khlebnikov.
Partners: Inter-regional public association "A World without Corruption", the Centre of Legal Information of the State Library of Foreign Literature.

"Programmes for the Regional Mass Media and PR Services".
Head: Elena Lerman.
Partners: Osteuropazentrum Universitaet Hohenheim, Stuttgart (the Centre for Eastern European Studies of Hohenheim University), the Goethe Institut, the European Academy in Berlin, Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), Press and Information Department of the Federal Government of Germany (Presse und Informationsamt der Bundesregierung), Landeszentrale fuer politische Bildung Baden-Wuerttemberg (the Centre for Political Education of Baden-Wuerttemberg).

"Internet-Academy".
Head: Elena Lerman.
Partners: Bertelsmann Stiftung (the Bertlesmann Foundation), Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart (Episcopal Academy of Rottenburg-Stuttgart), Landeszentrale fuer politische Bildung Baden-Wuerttemberg (the Centre for Political Education of Baden-Wuerttemberg).

"Close Neighbours. Russia and the EC".
Head: Boris Khlebnikov.
Partners: Bertelsmann Stiftung (the Bertlesmann Foundation), the Hamburg Trade Chamber.

"Club of Baden-Wuerttemberg Friends".
Head: Boris Khlebnikov.
Partners: the State Ministry of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Academy projects are implemented with the support of our partners and sponsors, including: