Vacancies – 3 Lawyers

Vacancies at Future Worlds Center- Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute

Vacancies – 3 Lawyers

These are three positions under a project funded by ERF Solidarity Funds 2008-2013 implemented by the Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute-Future Worlds Center. The project will offer free legal advice and representation to asylum seekers. The duration of the position is for a period of 6 months only.

Duties & Responsibilities

- Advise asylum seekers (including in detention centers) on the asylum procedure in Cyprus and provide representation during the administrative asylum process.

- Prepare and submit administrative recourses against negative asylum decisions.

- Counsel and provide representation to  asylum seekers on access to their rights.

 Required Qualifications

- Law degree

- Lawyer must be registered at the Cyprus Bar Association

- Prior experience or post graduate qualification in asylum issues and/or administrative law will be considered an advantage.

- Excellent command of both Greek and English languages; knowledge of an additional language is an asset.

Applications MUST include a CV and a cover letter/letter of interest. 

Deadline for applications: 19th of January 2014. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.  

To apply for the position send your completed application to annagrace@futureworldscenter.org

 http://www.futureworldscenter.org/

“Act Beyond Borders” International Conference - 22 and 23 November 2013

The “Act Beyond Borders” International Conference will explore success stories and challenges of civil society actions across the divide in Cyprus, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Held at the Home for Cooperation in the UN Buffer zone in Nicosia, Cyprus, the conference will provide a space for participants from Cyprus, Israel and the Palestinian Territories to learn from each other, share their very own experiences and ideas with fellow civil society actors and academics, as well as jointly develop alternative proposals to help bridge the divide between communities.

The Act Beyond Borders conference concludes a three-year EU-funded project. Coordinated by the Future Worlds Center in Cyprus, in partnership with the Palestinian Dialogue Center in the Palestinian Territories and the Association for Progressive Education in Honor of Meir Yaari, in Israel, this project enhances CSO’s capacity to act within their communities, and on the national and trans-national levels as well.

This International Conference is open to the public and will be held on Friday November 22 and Saturday November 23 at the Home For Cooperation in Nicosia, Cyprus. For more information on the event or location please visit our website www.actbeyondborders.net or email the Future Worlds Center at info@actbeyondborders.net

Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders – Panel Discussions in Ramalllah, West Bank

On August 13, 2013 the European Commission funded “Human Rights and Reconciliation - Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders” project commenced its first panel discussion on Human Rights in West Bank.  The discussion, held in Ramallah, aimed to enrich participants’ knowledge of ‘other’ perspective and encourage effective enforcement of human rights internationally.

The event began with a presentation of the history and philosophy of human rights, and the United Nation’s role in their promulgation. A Greek Cypriot expert and a Turkish Cypriot expert subsequently discussed human rights and responsibility, and human rights and conflict resolution, respectively.  Their presence served to highlight Cypriot solidarity with Israeli-Palestinian peace building efforts.

          The discussion on August 13^th culminated with a presentation by a Palestinian Human Rights expert.  He described the relation of personal status, freedom of the press, and Palestinian civil society to human rights in his community.  The participants and experts alike provided distinct perspectives on the range of issues concerned with human rights generally, and within the Israeli-Palestinian society specifically.

On August 14^th, a second panel discussion took place in Ramallah, West Bank. The Discussion revolved around human rights, the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, and approaches to enhance communication and dialogue. 

After a review of the previous day’s discussions, a presentation of the Arab Spring was made.  Its causes and impacts on Palestine and human rights were elaborated.  Later in the afternoon a presentation titled “Balance Between Individual and Public Freedom Vital for Democracy” was presented, followed by discussions by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot experts.  The day’s events culminated with a discussion of Palestinian Basic Law and human rights.

The events of August 13^th and 14^th exemplified the importance of human rights in the region, and in future Israeli-Palestinian relations as well.  Through expert led discussions, and the perspectives of various stakeholders in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders event highlighted the need for stronger human rights enforcement and enhanced communication and dialogue within and between societies.

“The project “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society ActsBeyond Borders” is co-funded by the European Union.” 

Οι Κύπριοι και οι 'Αλλοι:

Κυπριακή Αλληλεγγύη σε Δοκιμασία 

Οι περισσότεροι από μας δεν ήταν προετοιμασμένοι για το αιφνιδιαστικό ταρακούνημα που περνάει η χώρα μας τις τελευταίες εβδομάδες. Το ταρακούνημα έχει κλονίσει θεμέλια που με ασφάλεια και άγνοια χτίζαμε για χρόνια τώρα, και θα δοκιμάσει τις αξίες που είτε θα μας φέρουν πιο κοντά σαν ανθρώπους ή θα μας αποξενώσουν ακόμη περισσότερο.

Όλοι μας έχουμε έρθει αντιμέτωποι με τις πραγματικότητες απελπισίας αυτών που πλήγηκαν περισσότερο από την απότομη λιτότητα που έχει φέρει η "κρίση" στην Κύπρο. Αυτές είναι οι πραγματικότητες των ανέργων μεταξύ μας, αυτών που φοβούνται πως θα χάσουν τα σπίτια τους, των συνταξιούχων και των χρεοκοπημένων ιδιοκτητών επιχειρήσεων, των ατόμων με αναπηρίες και των ηλικιωμένων που δεν βρίσκονται σε θέση να συντηρήσουν τον εαυτό τους.

Ωστόσο, μοιάζει να ξεπροβάλει μια ακτίνα ελπίδας μέσα στις απελπισμένες στιγμές που ζούμε, με το πρωτοφανές κύμα εκδηλώσεων που έρχονται σαν ανταπόκριση στις αυξανόμενες ανάγκες των συμπολιτών μας. Κι αυτές δεν είναι μόνο οι μεγάλες εκδηλώσεις φιλανθρωπίας που συναντούν τεράστια υποστήριξη. Είναι και οι μικρότερες προσπάθειες πουπολλαπλασιάζονται καθημερινά, αντικατοπτρίζοντας ένα κίνημα αλληλεγγύης παρά φιλανθρωπίας. Αυτές είναι οι προσπάθειες των ανθρώπων που συλλέγουν τρόφιμα και χρήματα για να πληρωθούν οι λογαριασμοί μιας οικογένειας,αυτών που μαγειρεύουν για κοινοτικές κουζίνες και αυτών που φροντίσουν κάποια παιδιά ενώ οι γονείς τους πάνε να εργαστούν. Όλες αυτές οι προσπάθειες, μικρές ή μεγάλες, πράξεις αλληλεγγύης ή φιλανθρωπίας, είναι όλες μια απόδειξη ότι οι Κύπριοι είναι σε θέση να συμπάσχουν με την απόγνωση του συνανθρώπου τους.

Παρόλα αυτά, υπάρχει και κάτι λυπηρό και απίστευτα ανησυχητικό που βγαίνει στην επιφάνεια, μέσα από τις ιστορίες φιλανθρωπίας και αλληλεγγύης προς τους Κύπριους συμπολίτες μας. Αυτές είναι οι παράλληλες ιστορίες αποκλεισμού και εχθρότητας που εξαπλώνονται με μεγάλη επιθετικότητα προς τους μη-Κύπριους κατοίκους του νησιού μας, όπως οι οικιακές εργαζόμενες, οι αιτητές ασύλου, οι πρόσφυγες, οι ξένοι φοιτητές και οι άνθρωποι χωρίς έγγραφα.

Αυτό που είναι λυπηρό είναι ότι για ακόμα μια φορά οι άνθρωποι αυτοί χρησιμοποιούνται ως εξιλαστήρια θύματα για τα δεινά της Κύπρου, ενώ όλοι μας γνωρίζουμε ότι δεν έπαιξαν κανένα ρόλο στο να φέρουν την Κύπρο στη θέση που βρίσκεται σήμερα. Αυτό που είναι ανησυχητικό είναι ότι έχουμε επιτρέψει στην "κρίση" να χειραγωγήσει την έννοια της αλληλεγγύης - να διαστρεβλώσει τα συναισθήματα ταύτισης που μπορούμε να νιώσουμε για τον συνάνθρωπό μας, με τέτοιο τρόπο που να δικαιολογεί τις απαράδεκτες διακρίσεις και τον αποκλεισμό των ήδη ευάλωτων και περιθωριοποιημένων ανθρώπων της κοινωνίας μας.

Ξέρουμε ότι δεν είμαστε μόνοι στο να πιστεύουμε ότι για να βγούμε σαν άνθρωποι από αυτή την κρίση, καλούμαστε να διεκδικήσουμε εκ νέου το όραμά μας για την κοινωνία, ένα όραμα που θα βασίζεται στην αλληλεγγύη προς το κάθε άτομο που ζει ανάμεσά μας, ανεξάρτητα από τους λόγους παραμονής του στην Κύπρο, την αναπηρία του, τη θρησκεία, το φύλο, την ηλικία, ή την χώρα καταγωγής του. Και αυτό είναι αναγκαίο γιατί όπως είπε κάποτε η Aurora Levins Morales, "η αλληλεγγύη δεν είναι αλτρουιστικό ζήτημα. Η αλληλεγγύη προέρχεται από την άρνηση του να ανέχεσαι την παθητική ή ενεργητική σου συνεργασία στην καταπίεση των άλλων, και από την αναγνώριση της πιο επεκτατικής μας ιδιοτέλειας. Προέρχεται από την αναγνώριση ότι είτε μας αρέσει είτε όχι, η απελευθέρωσή μας είναι άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με εκείνη του κάθε άλλου ανθρώπου στον πλανήτη και ότι πολιτικά, πνευματικά, και στα βάθη τηςκαρδιάς μας γνωρίζουμε ότι δεν υπάρχει κάποια άλλη συμπεριφορά που μπορούμε να ανεχτούμε. "

Future Worlds Center

12/04/2013

The Cypriots and the Others:

Putting Cypriot Solidarity to Test

The shock that our country is going through these past weeks is one that most of us have not been prepared for. It has shaken the very foundations that we have been securely building and obliviously standing on, and it now puts to test the values that will either keep us together, as people, or tear us further apart. All of us encounter the growing realities of despair by those hit the hardest by Cyprus’ abrupt economic austerity. These are the realities of the unemployed amongst us, of the ones who fear losing their homes, of the pensioners and bankrupted business owners, of the mentally and physically disabled and of the elderly too frail to support themselves. 

What has been a breeze of hope in these desperate moments is the phenomenal wave of events being organised in response to the growing needs of the citizens amongst us. And these are not only the big charity efforts that are receiving immense support from people all over Cyprus. There are also smaller efforts; efforts whose character is more one of solidarity than of charity, and these too are multiplying on a daily basis. These are the efforts of the people who come together and set up groups for collecting food and funds that would pay for their neighbour’s bills, people cooking for community kitchens, and people who volunteer to look after children while their parents go to work. All these efforts, small or big, the solidarity ones or the ones for charity, are a proof that Cypriots are capable of feeling empathy for another human being. 

Yet there is something saddening and incredibly worrying surfacing from these stories of charity and solidarity for our fellow Cypriots. These are the parallel stories of exclusion and hostility that are spreading with great aggression towards the non-Cypriots citizens of the island, such as the domestic workers, the asylum seekers, the refugees, the international students, and the undocumented migrants. 

What is sad is that once again these people are being used as scapegoats for the Cypriot ills, while all of us know they have played no role in bringing Cyprus to where it stands now. What is worrying is that we have allowed our understanding of solidarity to be manipulated and our feelings of empathy to be disturbed in a way that uses the “crisis” to justify the unacceptable discrimination and exclusion of the already marginalised and fragile people in our society. 

We know that we are not alone in believing that to emerge from this crisis, we must reclaim our vision of a community, based on solidarity towards every individual living on this island, irrespective of one’s status, disability, religion, gender, age, or ethnic origin. And this is because as Aurora Levins Morales once said, "Solidarity is not a matter of altruism. Solidarity comes from the inability to tolerate the affront to our own integrity of passive or active collaboration in the oppression of others, and from the deep recognition of our most expansive self-interest. From the recognition that, like it or not, our liberation is bound up with that of every other being on the planet, and that politically, spiritually, in our heart of hearts we know anything else is unaffordable." 


Future Worlds Center
12/04/2013

Training of Local Trainers to Strengthen Civil Society – Cyprus, March 2013

Future Worlds Center is hosting the 2nd phase of the Training of Local Trainers from Israel and Palestine, at the Navarria Hotel in Cyprus on the 13th – 20th of March 2013. The activity is a part of the project “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders”.

The training will equip 14 local trainers with the skills, tools, and techniques to deliver interactive trainings in a way that makes learning enjoyable and effective. It will focus on the training and the facilitation tools and will be delivered in an interactive way to enhance the trainers’ planning and designing skills.

After completing the training course, these individuals will proceed in conducting a series of basic and advanced civil society strengthening workshops in their communities.

In the 1^st phase of the training, that took place in Talitha Kuma - West Bank, in July 2011, participants have tried different tools of teambuilding and reflected the mission and the vision of their own organizations. They built up their own organizations and they used tools of strategic thinking to improve and promote their new organizations.

“The project “Human Rights and Reconciliation – Civil Society Acts Beyond Borders” is funded by the European Union. 

For more information:

http://www.futureworlds.eu/wiki/Act_Beyond_Borders

Support and Rehabilitation Offered to Victims of Torture by the Future Worlds Center

The Humanitarian Affairs Unit of the non-governmental organisation Future Worlds Center (leg. reg. as Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute) is pleased to announce that it has been selected for the fourth time by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) to support the work of the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (URVT) for the year 2013. URVT was created by the Future Worlds Center in June 2006 with funding from the European Refugee Fund and the Republic of Cyprus.

The aim of URVT is to provide rehabilitation services to victims of torture and trafficking, and to assist them to integrate into the Cypriot society. For this purpose, the Unit provides such persons and their families with psychological, legal, and social support. The services offered include social support related to housing, entry into the labour market, access to education, social benefits, and healthcare, while the legal assistance is offered in relation to people's asylum application procedures. Psychological support is offered in collaboration with psychologists specialising on the rehabilitation of torture victims.

The offices of the Unit for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture are located in Nicosia and are open daily from 9.00 am to 5 pm. For any information please contact us by phone at +357 22873820, by fax at +35722873821, or by email at danae@futureworldscenter.org

Στήριξη και Αποκατάσταση Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων από τον Oργανισμό Future Worlds Center

Το Τμήμα Ανθρωπιστικών Θεμάτων του μη-κυβερνητικού οργανισμού Future Worlds Center (νομικώς εγγεγρ. ως Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute) είναι στην ευχάριστη θέση να ανακοινώσει ότι επιλέγει για τέταρτη φορά από το Εθελοντικό Ταμείο για Θύματα Βασανιστηρίων των Ηνωμένων Εθνών (UNVFVT) για ενίσχυση των εργασιών της Μονάδας Αποκατάστασης Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων  (URVT) για την χρονιά 2013. Η Μονάδα δημιουργήθηκε από το Future Worlds Center τον Ιούνιο του 2006 με χρηματοδότηση του Ευρωπαϊκού Ταμείου Προσφύγων και της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.

Στόχος της Μονάδας είναι η παροχή υπηρεσιών αποκατάστασης σε θύματα βασανιστηρίων και σωματεμπορίας, και η ένταξή τους στην Κυπριακή κοινωνία. Για τον σκοπό αυτό η Μονάδα παρέχει στα πρόσωπα αυτά και τις οικογένειες τους υπηρεσίες ψυχολογικής, νομικής, και κοινωνικής στήριξης. Οι υπηρεσίες που προσφέρονται περιλαμβάνουν κοινωνική αρωγή σχετικά με την στέγαση, ένταξη στη αγορά εργασίας, απολαβή κοινωνικών παροχών, πρόσβαση στην εκπαίδευση και ιατροφαρμακευτική περίθαλψη, και νομική βοήθεια σχετικά με τις διαδικασίες ασύλου. Η ψυχολογική στήριξη προσφέρεται σε συνεργασία με ειδικευμένους ψυχολόγους σε θέματα αποκατάστασης θυμάτων βασανιστηρίων.

Τα γραφεία της Μονάδας Αποκατάστασης Θυμάτων Βασανιστηρίων βρίσκονται στη Λευκωσία και είναι ανοικτά καθημερινά από τις 9.00 π.μ μέχρι τις 5 μ.μ. Για οποιεσδήποτε πληροφορίες παρακαλούμε όπως επικοινωνήσετε μαζί μας στο τηλέφωνο +357 22873820, με fax στο +35722873821, ή στην ηλεκτρονική διεύθυνση danae@futureworldscenter.org

4th International SDD Training Workshop this Coming May in Crete

Why and How we ought to Re-Invent Democracy through Structured Democratic Dialogue (SDD)

7-9 May 2013

Modern democracies in Europe and around the Globe are currently under serious stress and discussion in a  very wide spectrum of contexts as the financial crisis has highlighted the powerlessness of national governments in dealing with global economic and political players. In these exceptionally turbulent years, characterized by sovereign debt crises and week political leadership in the developed world, as well as dramatic changes in the Middle East and North Africa,  a momentum is emerging  for  citizens’ knowledge and participation. SDD  training workshops are being offered for the purpose of building capacity internationally for addressing highly complex civic problems through the use of the science of dialogue. This workshop is for individuals interested in learning more about the science of Structured Democratic Dialogue (SDD) and those who are actively  searching to contribute with their voices in participative democracy. The workshop will include theoretical foundations and practical applications for learning and applying the Science of Dialogue. 

Participants will learn:
➡ The management of complexity in designing social systems.
➡ The axioms and the principles of the Science of Dialogue.
➡ The authentic, effective, and efficient engagement of stakeholders in designing desirable futures.
➡ The importance of systemic thinking  in the resolution of local and global problematiques.
➡ The use of the Cogniscope Software in collectively discovering the root causes of wicked problems and determining effective priorities for action.
➡ The application of the Co-Laboratory of Democracy on how to resolve complex problems in the trainees’ organizational settings.

For more information click on the link below
http://sddtraining2013.wikispaces.com/home

* Registrations should be completed and submitted by February 15, 2013. Applications for scholarship should be submitted for evaluations by the instructors by January 31, 2013. 

Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute JOB OPENING - Financial Officer/Accountant

Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute 

JOB OPENING - Financial Officer/Accountant

Duties and Responsibilities

•  Daily financial/payroll related activities

•  Organize and control accounting, bookkeeping and reporting including Year End procedure and preparation of Financial Statement

•  Preparation of financial reports and budget for EU-funded projects

•  Financial managements of EU-funded projects

•  Preparation of EC audits

•  Maintain and supervise the Time & Attendance system of the organization

•  Create budget for EU applications

•  Communication with EU representatives

Qualifications

•  BSc in Finance or other related field (Economics, Controlling etc.)

•  Knowledge of generally accepted accounting practices and principles

•  Experience in multicultural working environment

•  Previous working experience minimum 3 years

•  Fluency in spoken and written English

Preferred Qualifications

•  Experience in financial management of EU-funded project considered as an advantage

•  Experience in Pastel Partner accounting system considered as an advantage

•  Working experience in non-profit field considered as an advantage

•   ACCA qualifications considered as an advantage

Prospective candidates will be evaluated against general criteria representing the Center’s culture namely:

→    Ethics, fairness and respect for diversity

→    Credibility & resourcefulness

→    International orientation

→    Ambition & continuous improvement

→    Leadership; team player; multi-tasking

→    Innovative thinking and attitude

Please send your cover letter and CV at: veronika@futureworldscenter.org

Applications are open until the 10th of January 2013

Young Minds from Europe Get Together to Reinvent Democracy in the Digital Era

In an effort to reconstruct the concept of democracy in the digital era, 24 young people from various European countries came together in a 2-day interactive co-laboratory which took place on the 14^th -15^th September. Through the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process, participants were given the opportunity to re-imagine the characteristics that an ideal system of governance should have, one that would make full use of innovative emerging technologies.

During the co-laboratory that was facilitated by the head of the non-governmental organisation «Future Worlds Center», Dr. Yiannis Laouris, and Dr. Afonso Ferreira, currently seconded as expert to the European Commission, DG INFSO, working at the Future & Emerging Technologies unit, participants invested over 500 man-hours to think, discuss, analyse, and ultimately vote in order to determine which are the most fundamental features that when implemented, could bring about the most grounding change for an ideal system of governance.

The co-laboratory made continuous use of the latest technology, as ideas were electronically recorded, compiled and processed so as to finally produce a map with all the data collected. The map that was gradually produced shows the manner in which if certain of the characteristics suggested were to be implemented, certain others could be immediately facilitated, as the key characteristics branch out and lead us to derivatives.

While ideas developed around the key question of "what are the features of an ideal future system of governance that fully utilises innovative emerging technologies?”, participants concluded that the most influential of all the characteristics were firstly the End of Political Parties as Institutions, the use of Technology for Time Management of Active Participation, the Re-definition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and finally the Continuous Passive and Active Participation of citizens in the Political Process via an Online Platform.  

By the end of the process, participants had collectively developed a vision and a shared commitment on how to propose and promote their suggested ideas with the vision to achieve reform, each starting in their own ideal socio-politico-economic systems of governance.

The results of the co-laboratory will be widely disseminated on-line with the support of the Cyprus Community Media Center, using video clips and modern digital technologies. The aim is to circulate these amongst other youth initiatives across the world and inspire further innovative suggestions for reform.

The co-laboratory took place back-to-back with the Cyprus EU Youth Conference, which built on the priority of the Cypriot Presidency to address the topic of Youth Participation in democratic life in Europe, as one of the main priorities of the trio PL-DK-CY adopted by the Ministers' meeting at the Council of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport.

The co-laboratory was the result of a joint initiative between the Future Worlds Center and the Digital Futures Task Force. It was implemented under the patronage of the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, Mrs Androulla Vassiliou, and was under the auspices of the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, the Mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Constantinos Yiorkadjis, and the Youth for Exchange and Understanding.

For more information visit:http://www.futureworlds.eu/wiki/SDDP_Reinventing_Democracy_in_the_Digital_Era

Vice President of the EC, Mr. Maros Sefkovic honors Future Worlds Center

The Vice President of the EC Mr. Maros Sefkovic met and honored peace pioneers representing the Cyprus civil Society. The meeting was held at the Ledra Palace Hotel on the 31^st of August and it was attended by representatives of key NGOS involved over the years in projects of reconciliation between the two communities. The Slovak Ambassador in Cyprus, H.E Mrs. Anna Turenicova, organized the event in collaboration with NGO Support Centre/Management Centre through the  Engage project. The contributions of Future Worlds Center, and ten other organizations were recognized by Mr. Maros Sefkovic who awarded them a Certificate of Appreciation. 

FWC has a long tradition in organizing activities empowering the civil society in Cyprus. It has envisioned, designed and implemented more than 10 peace projects over the last 15 years. It has been instrumental in strategizing and founding the Cyprus NGDO platform, the Cyprus Community Media Centre and the Cyprus Youth Power network.

On the same day, Mr. Maros Sefkovic also met with representatives of political parties to receive a first-hand impression regarding their peace efforts taking place outside the official negotiations.

In the picture from left to right, Her Excellency the Slovak Ambassador Mrs. Turenicova, Dr. Yiannis Laouris President of Future Worlds Center, His Excellency EC Vice President Mr. Maros Sefkovic, and Mrs Elia Petridou, Head of Global Education Unit of Future Worlds Center during the awarding of the Certificate of Appreciation (credits for photograph: UNFICYP). 

The remaining awarded NGOS are: CYINDEP, NGO Support Centre, the Management Centre Cyprus 2015, CCMC, Youth Power, AHDR, Hands Across the Divide, The Biologists’ Association, Kontea Heritage Project, Bicommunal Choir and the Cyprus Academic Dialogue.

-----------

Ο Αντιπρόεδρος της ΕE κ. Maros Σεφκοβικ, συναντήθηκε και τίμησε τους πρωτεργάτες της ειρήνης ανάμεσα στους εκπροσώπους της κοινωνίας των πολιτών στην Κύπρο. Η συνάντηση πραγματοποιήθηκε στο ξενοδοχείο Λήδρα Πάλας στις 31 Αυγούστου όπου παρέστησαν εκπρόσωποι Μη-Κυβερνητικών Οργανώσεων που ασχολούνται ενεργά εδώ και χρόνια με την συμφιλίωση μεταξύ των δύο κοινοτήτων. Η εκδήλωση διοργανώθηκε από την Πρέσβη της Σλοβακίας στην Κύπρο, κα. Anna Turenicova, σε συνεργασία με το Κέντρο Στήριξης ΜΚΟ, υπό την αιγίδα του προγράμματος  "Engage". Ο κ. Maros Σεφκοβικ τίμησε το έργο του  Future Worlds Center, μαζί και άλλων δέκα οργανώσεων,  και τους απένειμε πιστοποιητικό Αναγνώρισης Έργου.

Ο οργανισμός Future Worlds Center έχει μια μακρά παράδοση στην οργάνωση δραστηριοτήτων για την ενδυνάμωση της κοινωνίας των πολιτών στην Κύπρο. 

Τα τελευταία 15 χρόνια εχει οραματιστεί, σχεδιάσει και υλοποιήσει περισσότερα από 10 έργα και προγράμματα για την ειρήνη. Έχει επίσης συμβάλει στην ίδρυση και το στρατηγικό έργο  της Πλατφόρμας Μη-Κυβερνητικών Οργανώσεων για την Διεθνή Ανάπτυξη στην Κύπρο, του  Κέντρου Κοινονικών Μέσων Επικοινωνίας Κύπρου, και του δικτύου Κυπριακών οργανώσεων για νέους Youth Power .

Την ίδια ημέρα, ο κ. Maros Sefkovic συναντήθηκε επίσης με εκπροσώπους των πολιτικών κομμάτων με στόχο να πάρει μια εικόνα των ειρηνευτικών πρωτοβουλιών που λαμβάνονται στο πολιτικό επίπεδο, πέρα των επίσημων διαπραγματεύσεων.    

Στη φωτογραφία (αριστερά προς τα δεξιά) η Πρέσβης της Σλοβακίας κα Turenicova, ο Δρ. Γιάννης Λαούρης-  Πρόεδρος του Future Worlds Center, o Αντιπρόεδρος της EC κ. Maros Sefkovic, και η κ. Ηλία Πετρίδου - ​​επικεφαλής της Μονάδας Παγκόσμιας Εκπαίδευσης του Future Worlds Center κατά την απονομή του πιστοποιητικού Αναγνώρισης Έργου  (φωτογραφία: UNFICYP).

Τα υπόλοιπα  ΜΚΟ  στα οποία απονεμήθηκε  πιστοποιητικό Αναγνώρισης ‘Εργου είναι τα εξής: CYINDEP, Κέντρο Στήριξης ΜΚΟ, Management Centre Cyprus 2015, CCMC, Youth Power, Όμιλος Ιστορικού Διαλόγου και Έρευνας, Hands Across the Divide, Ένωση Βιολόγων , Πρόγραμμα Κληρονομιάς Κοντέας, Δικοινοτική Χορωδία και ο Κυπριακός Ακαδημαϊκός Διάλογος.