Annual Report 2010

INTRODUCTION

The year 2010 has been a very important one for the work of the newly found International ECPD Institute (Institute). This is especially true since its activities enabled it to establish itself as an actor in Slovenia and in the wider region. At the same time it began to strengthen its role in contributing to the activities of the EPCD system itself.

The activities of the Institute have been constantly supported by Executive Director of ECPD prof.dr.Negoslav Ostojić.

The Director of the Institute has been supported also by the Institute’s Secretariat – the newly created body which held six sessions in 2010..

INSTITUTE’S PREMISES

The Institute made a long-lasting decision to rent the office space in the ICPE (International Center for Promotion of Enterprises) building on Dunajska 104 in Ljubljana. ICPE is an international institution whose activities are very compatible with the ones of the ECPD - and especially with the ones executed by the Institute. This was confirmed in the letter of understanding, signed at the ceremony on 20th May 2010, attended by Ambassador dr. Takehiro Togo, President of ECPD Board, and dr. Bogdan Šalej, Director General of ICPE.

STAFF

The Institute has currently no permanent staff.
The majority of the Institute’s activities were undertaken by the Institute’s Director, who took the role with great dedication and responsibility, although he is not permanently employed at the Institute itself. The Secretariat team was of great help to him. The secretariat consisted of: dr. Boris Cizelj, dr. Peter Raspor, mag. Lorena Korošec and Bojan Starec. Other people included in the Institute’s activities were Alenka Arambašić, David Tavželj and sometimes ECPD Belgrade experts.

FINANCES

Institute’s predominant financial sources for 2010 were donations and other types of financial help from different Slovene and one foreign source (SBRA from Brussels).
Despite great efforts the Institute could not succeed in getting additional financial sources from different international (especially EU-based) projects. Therefore this task is set to be one of the most important ones that need to be addressed in 2011.

INSTUTITE ACTIVITIES

1.International Conferences

Organization of Climate Change and Human Health Panel on the 2nd ‘CEE/SEE Regional Colloquium Capacity Building on Global Governance and the UN System’ in Belgrade 18th May;
Activities on the EREF-2010 International Forum in Nova Gorica 7-8th June;
Co-Organization (together with ICPE) of the ‘International Conference on Sustainable Management of the Sava/Danube River Basin and the Mediterranean/Black Sea’ in Ljubljana, 10-11th November

2.Other Events

An Exhibition by Professor dr Tošković entitled: ‘Salt Lake City, Kolkata – India – from Idea to Realization’ held in the ICPE building lobby 4th May 2010
Co-Organization (together with SDMO led by dr. Kunič) of the round table ‘Security and Tolerance in the Balkans’, 26th October. Dr. Maes, dr Adamović and dr. Levett also took part in the name of the ECPD.

3.Cooperation Agreements

Protocol on Business cooperation between the European Centre for Peace and Development and the Aliansa Goup, Ljubljana 11th March
Agreement on cooperation between ECPD and ICPE, Ljubljana 20th May
Agreement on cooperation between the ECPD Academic Network and the University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 27th October

4.Other activities

Co-publishing (togeter with the IRDO Institute and the Ypsilon Foundation) of an e-book 'Essays on Social Responsibllity', November 2010
Development of the concept of ITR’s electronic journal 'Sustainability Review' (first issue planned for the beginning of 2011)
Activities connected with the project of creating thematic roundtables entitled 'ECPD Meetings of Tomorrow' ( to start in 2011)
Creation of the new Institute Website (www.ecpd.si) and its management.

5. International Activities of the Director

regular visits to the ECPD headquarters in Belgrade and maintaining of contacts with Centre's Director-General dr. Ostojić
in the course of Institute's activities the Director has in 2010 also visited Brussels, Graz, Pula, Vienna and Zagreb
members of the Secretariat dr. Cizelj and dr. Raspor have as representatives of the ECPD taken part on various international fora

Report prepared by:
Janez Podobnik,
Director

Ljubljana 14th December 2010

International Institute for Sustainable Development, Urban Planning and Environment Studies, Ljubljana, ITR