The first regional networking meeting within the framework of this project took place in Sofia on March 28-29, 2002. It was organised and held as a joint effort of BlueLink (Bulgaria), StrawberryNet (Romania) and the REC Country Office Bulgaria.   There were two main parts. The aim of the first day's morning session was to review past activities and to promote the networks to government officials, donors and the media. The fourth anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian network, BlueLink, was then celebrated.     The second part of the meeting was less formal. There was a  workshop to share information about past activities in greater detail and to review country work plans. There was also a brainstorming session for the next steps in international cooperation. A joint statement (PDF file) was drafted and accepted. The meeting was a good opportunity to introduce new networking initiatives, to plan further cooperation between the REC and Milieukontakt Oost-Europa, to establish relationships with possible funders and to brainstorm ideas for future plans. The meeting proved useful for building a sense of community and enthusiasm for South Eastern European regional networking initiatives.

Statement of participants (2-page PDF file) Meeting agenda (3-page PDF file) List of participants (2-page PDF table) List of invited guests (2-page PDF table) Photo gallery Press response on the world NGO network (APC) The Second Regional Meeting