OUR PARTNERS
Young Researchers of Serbia is a unique, non-profit, non-governmental, non-partisan organization, in which young people volunteer to share common interests, ideas and goals. It has more than 3000 members, mostly young people between the ages of 15 and 30, encouraging inclusion in their programs of young people with mental or physical disabilities, as well as from a particular social context. With the Belgrade Open School, Young Researchers of Serbia are implementing the project named "Green Incubator".
Environmental Engineering Group
Environmental Engineering Group inform, educate and encourage citizens to actively participate in the sustainable development of their communities through the conservation of natural resources, the development of a circular economy, and the preservation of the health and well-being of all living beings. The Belgrade Open School, in collaboration with Environmental Engineering Group, is implementig the Green Incubator project, in which they work on exploring the potential of local economic development based on the principles of circular economy and making recommendations for improving the socio-economic status of local communities.
RES Foundation is a strategic partner of BOS in projects related to energy policy. Cooperation started through the implementation of the "ReEnergy" initiative, as well as "Energy Transparency" project. In 2017, cooperation continued on the BOS project "Community Energy", which is dediated to supporting establising of the energy management system at the local level, particularly through capacity building for energy managers. Cooperation was also established on the "Good climate for development" project of RES foundation, through which a consultative process with representatives of local municipalities was organised, with the aim to gather information on needs and obstacles in development of local communities and integrating local needs into policy developmment at the national level. Together with BOS and Vojvodina Environmental Movement, RES foundation is one of the founding members of the Network of Good Energy - a platform for connecting local governments with partners from civil and private sector, dedicated to implementing and spreading smart solutions in local energy sector.
Vojvodina Environmental Movement
Vojvodina Environmental Movement, from Sremski Karlovci, is a local, regional and international resource center for education, advocayc, cooperation, promotion and activism in the area of sustainable developemt. Vojvodina Environmental Movement is one of the founding members of the Network of Good Energy, together with BOS and RES Foundation.
Regional Development Agency Zlatibor
The Belgrade Open School has a long-standing successful cooperation with the Regional Development Agency Zlatibor, primarily in the field of environmental protection policy development. Cooperation is characterized by the joint involvement of local communities from southwestern Serbia in consultative processes and educational activities, in the effort to define environmental policy in accordance with local needs, through an open and participatory process leading to the improvement of the quality of life of citizens. In 2017, cooperation between BOS and Regional Development Agency Zlatibor was established through the activities of the Network of Good Energy. Cooperation is aimed at helping cities and municipalities in Zlatibor Region to establish energy management system at the local level,a chieve energy and budget savings, reduce energy poverty and provide their citizens with better comfort and quality of live, as well as to improve public health.
Municipality of Vrbas City of Šabac City of Pirot
Municipality of Vrbas, together with the City of Šabac and City of Pirot, are founding members of the Network of Good Energy. These cities and municipalities are pioneers in the field of local energy management and successful implementation of smart and sustainable solutions in the local energy sector. Vrbas, Šabac and Pirot signed the Principles of Good Energy, the foundational document of the Network of Good Energy, at the Conference in Sremski Karlovci, on October 3rd 2017, and by doing so, took part in founding the Network together with the partners from the civil sector: BOS, RES Foundation and Vojvodina Environmental Movement.
Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia
Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia is dedicated to preservation and studying of birds, their habitats and ecological needs, as well as education of the public on these subjects. Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia is working on strengthening the role of civil society organisations as citizens' and local communities' representatives in the EU accession process. Cooperation with the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia is also established through the "Community Power" Project of Belgrade Open School, which is dedicated to improving public participation in the environmental decision making processes, particularly through environmental impact assessment and strategic environment assessment procedures.
RERI (Renewables and Environment Regulatory Institute) is an organisation that gathers lawyers and legal experts interested in legal regulation or environment protection and the right to clean environment, as well as access to justice related to environemnt protection. The organisation was founded by representatives of the "Rajić" Law Office, who established cooperation with BOS in activities related to improving public participation in environmental decision making, in particular through the "Community Power" project of BOS.
ISOC Serbia is a non-for-profit association of citizens, open to members who are active in the field of Internet and communication technologies, especially the use of Internet in science, education, art but also everyday life. They call for online implementation for standards of accessibility, free flow of information and freedom of publishing information that is of public interest. Belgrade Open School cooperates with the Internet Society of Serbia on the project Visible Data for Invisible Air (VD4IA), which is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
With many years of work dedicated to improving public participation in environemtnal decision making, with the region of South West Serbia as the target region, BOS has established cooperation with many local organisations dedicated to environment protection, nature preservation and advocating for sustainable development of local communities. The organisations from the local level who are the long-standing partners of BOS are: Ecological Association "Rzav - God save Rzav" from Arilje, "Kolovrat" Mountaineering club from Prijepolje, Forum for Local and Regional Initiatives "FLORES" from Sjenica and "Protectors of Nature" Association from Požega. Cooperation with our local partners was established through the implementation of the "Community Power" project, particularly through organising research camps in the Rzav Canyon and advocating for nature protection in this area.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
CAN Europe Balkan Green Foundaiton CEE Bankwatch HEAL
NETWORKS
Coalition 27
The longtime cooperation that BOS has with its partner organizations has been reinforced by forming the Coalition 27. The Coalition 27 monitors and contributes to the process of harmonization and implementation of policies and regulations of the Republic of Serbia with the EU acquis in the field of the environment and climate change. The Coalition 27 advocates and encourages public participation in the process of Republic of Serbia accession negotiations with the EU and proposes solutions that will contribute to protecting and improving the environment and quality of life of the citizens of Serbia.
The Coalition 27 member parties: the Alternative for Safer Chemicals, Belgrade Open School, Society for Bird Study and Protection of Serbia, Center for Environment and Sustainable Development, Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe), Center for Environmental Improvement, GM Optimist, NGO Fractal, One Level of Serbia, Young Researchers of Serbia and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Network of Good Energy
The Network of Good Energy is a voluntary platform for local self governments and partners from the public, civil and private sector, dedicated to spreading good practice in local energy.
The Network gathers actors who have higher ambitions in developing local climate and energy policies. The Network is currently gathering three cities and municipalities (Vrbas, Šabac, Pirot), as well as three civil society organisations (BOS, RES Foundation, Vojvodina Environmental Movement), dedicated to work on developing and applying ambitious energy and climate policies at the local level.
Europe Beyond Coal is an initiative coming from civil society organisations from the European Union, countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey, with the aim of meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, transformation of the energy sector of Europe into a low-carbon system and abandoning coal as a fuel. The initiative is dedicated to tackling netagive effects of coal on public health, society, economy and the environment.
OUR DONORS
Rockefeller Brothers Fund in the Western Balkans supports projects and activities aimed towards meeting the ambitions of the countries in the region for membership in the European Union, with a focus on advancing democracy, creating a space for sustainable development and reconciliation in the region. Sustainable development of the region with focus on an efficient energy sector based on renewable energy sources is one of the priorities of Rockefeller Brothers Fund in the Western Balkans. The Belgrade Open School from 2016 to 2018, with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, successfully implemented the project "Community Energy". The project "Energy Community" was working to improve energy management in Serbia and strengthening democratic governance by empowering the civil sector to take an active role in the decision-making process. Cooperation continued in 2019 through the institutional support provided by the Fund to the Belgrade Open School for the implementation of the activities of the Energy, Climate and Environment Program area.
The European Union is financing the Green Incubator project, which is being implemented by the Belgrade Open School and partners: Young Researchers of Serbia and Environmental Engineering Group. The project aims to contribute to strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations dealing with environmental issues to monitor the European integration process of the Republic of Serbia. Since 2001, the European Union has invested more than three billion euros in grants through numerous projects in Serbia, making it the largest donor in the country.
German organization for international cooperation - GIZ
Belgrade open school achieves cooperation with the German organization for international cooperation (GIZ) through the project "SDG 2030 Local Moitor in Serbia". The overall objective of this project is to support the implementation and monitoring of the achievement of sustainable development goals (UN SDG 2030) at the local level in Serbia. The German Organization for International Cooperation supports projects dealing with issues related to rural development, sustainable infrastructure, governance and democracy, economic development and employment, as well as projects in the field of environment and climate change. GIZ supports Serbia in the process of European integration, improving its economic situation and consolidating democratic structures.
European Climate Foundation is devoted to development of low-carbon economy in Europe, which should take over the leading role in the fight against climate change at a global level. European Climate Foundation's mission is to support the development of a low-carbon society, to maintain global temperature growth below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, and to find the balance between climate change, energy security and economic growth. Cooperation between BOŠ and European Climate Foundation started in 2015 through the project "Climate Change Policy on the Road to the EU". The project contributed to development of national climate change policy as well as the development of a national climate and energy strategy in accordance with the EU policy framework up to 2030, with a special focus on improving local community resistance to climate change and supporting sustainable and ecological development. Cooperation continued on the project "Thinking ahead", through which BOŠ seeked to open the topic of a fair energy transition towards an energy sector based on renewable energy sources in Serbia.
FORMER DONORS
The World Wide Fund for Nature
The mission of the World Wide Fund for Nature is to stop the degradation of the environment on our planet and build a future where people will live in harmony with nature.The Belgrade Open School and the World Nature Fund since recently co-operate in the field of environmental protection, through the project "Climate Change and Protected Areas". The project is designed to increase the resilience of protected areas in Serbia to climate change.The World Nature Fund and the Belgrade Open School are part of the Coalition 27, which together with other members monitors and contributes to the process of harmonization and implementation of the policies and regulations of the Republic of Serbia with the acquis communautaire in the field of environment and climate change (Chapter 27).
United Nations Development Programme - UNDP
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provides development assistance to Serbia with the primary goal of improving the lives of people in Serbia, primarily the poorest and most vulnerable, and providing a future in which everyone will enjoy equality, dignity and opportunities. The program implements a series of activities that combine the expertise provided by UNDP and a comparative advantage in the areas of 1) sustainable development and social inclusion of marginalized groups; 2) good governance; 3) empowerment of women; 4) energy, environmental protection and the fight against climate change. The goals of the UNDP in Serbia are part of a wider agenda - 17 sustainable development goals (SDG) that were adopted in 2015 with a mission to eradicate hunger, achieve gender equality, improve health services and educate each child by 2030. Belgrade Open School, supported by UNDP, is implementing the project "Visible data for invisible air", which aims to contribute to better quality and accessibility of data on air quality in Serbia through the open data principles.
Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Government of Serbia
BOS is one of the civil society organisations awarded with a grant by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Government of Serbia, through the Public Call of the Ministry for grants dedicated to civil society organisations in the area of environment protection in 2018. With this grant, BOS is implementing the project "Green Youth: Green Youth: raising awareness of youth on environment protection through innovative media strategies", which is dedicated to dedicated to raising awareness among youth, on the topic of environment protection through using online media and the Internet as means of communication, thus creating preconditions for their active engagement in environment protection.
Civil Society Acts for Environmentally Sound Socio-Economic Development
The "CO-SEED: Civil Society Acts for Environmentally Sound Socio-Economic Development" is a three-year project which began in 2016. Its aim is to contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources in countries where the project is implemented through promoting a better legislative framework, transparent decision-making process which involves an active group of civil society organizations and increased media attention for this topic, consequently benefiting the society as a whole. The members of the project consortium are the WWF Turkey, the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia, the Dinarica Association from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Green Home from Montenegro and INCA from Albania, while advisory support is provided by the WWF Adria from Croatia. The project is financially supported by the European Union.
Within this project, a call for funds for civil society organizations has been announced for proposals for a project dedicated to strengthening the capacity, knowledge and technical competencies of civil society organizations for contributing through public consultations on environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental impact assessment procedures. Within this competition, the Belgrade Open School received funds for the implementation of the "Community Power" project, in cooperation with the FLORES Forum for Local and Regional Cooperation from Sjenica, the Ecological Association "Rzav - God Save Rzav" from Arilje and the Kolovrat Mountain Association from Prijepolje.