Sustainable World Foundation and EPHA Environment Network

Capacity Building Workshop on Environment and Health

Sofia, 1-2 December 2005

Serdika Hotel - Yanko Sakazov Blvd. No2

Programme

30 November 2005

20.00: Cocktail at Serdika Hotel: welcome by Genon K. Jensen, EPHA Environment Network, and Antoaneta Yoveva, Sustainable World Foundation.

1 December: POLICY SESSION

8.30-9.00: Registration

SETTING THE SCENE

9.00-10.30:  Introduction and conference objectives, Genon Jensen (EPHA Environment Network) and Antoaneta Yoveva (Sustainable World Foundation)  Keynote address: WHO’s Pan European Environment and Health process and opportunities for civil society. Dr Hristina Mileva, Directorate of Public Health Protection and Control, Ministry of Health  Keynote address: Challenges and opportunities in the EU accession process Mr Fernando Ponz Canto, Head of the Political Section, European Commission Delegation in Bulgaria  Tour de table: introduction of participants

10.30-11.00: Coffee break

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH PERSPECTIVE FROM ACCESSION COUNTRIES

11.00-13.00: Environment and Health Priorities and case studies from NGOs. Short presentations and discussion around the following issues:

 Water and sanitation, Diana Iskreva Earth Forever Foundation, Bulgaria  Accidents and habitat and Urban Environment Strategy: Antoaneta Yoveva, Bulgaria  Chemicals, POPs: Ivaylo Hlebarov, Environmental Association “Za Zemiata” (For the Earth) CEE Bankwatch Network, Bulgaria

13.00-14.00: Lunch TOWARDS EU ACCESSION - CHALLENGES and TOOLS for ADVOCACY

14.00-16.00: Two parallel workshops on the following issues  Toxics: EU chemicals policy and EU Strategy on Mercury presentation and facilitation by Genon Jensen (EEN) and Miroslav Suta (Czech Republic)  Environmental justice and tools for new member and accession countries (Aarhus convention), presentation and facilitation by Tamara Steger (Center for Environmental Policy and Law, Hungary) and Monica Guarinoni (EEN) All workshops will include a short introduction by the facilitator, three or four case studies (campaigns, publications, national experience) identified in advance from participants, and discussion around the implementation of the environmental acquis in the context of EU accession, focusing on the challenges and needed tools/knowledge for more involvement of civil society. Each group will appoint a rapporteur who will summarise the outcome of the workshop in one or two pages.

16.00-16.30: Coffee break

16.30-17.30: Brainstorming on priorities and joint campaigns – 2/3 separate groups

17.30-18.00: Reporting back on prioritization exercise and conclusions

19.30: Dinner at “Pod Lipite” (1, Elin Pelin Str., Phone number: (02) 866 50 53)

2 December: TRAINING SESSION

9.30-11.30: Part I: Hands-on media training Facilitated by Vessela Karloukovska and Genon K. Jensen, EPHA Environment Network with Desi Veleva (“Duma”), Stela Licheva (National Radio) and Tsvetelina Atanasova (Environment - Newsroom at Bulgarian National TV), Yana Sevova (“Standard” newspaper), Martina Bozukova (“Focus” Agency).

Participants will hear from a panel of journalists how environment and health stories are covered and will be trained on how to more effectively work with the media. What are effective ways for the health and environment community to interact with the press? What are the challenges of the media in new member states/accession countries? Participants will also receive a guide on ¨Working with the Media¨ available in English and Russian.

11.30-11.45: Coffee break

11.45-12.30: Part II: Hands-on advocacy training Facilitated by Genon K. Jensen, EPHA Environment Network

Participants will learn effective strategies in lobbying EU and national institutions, and developing campaigns. An EU priority (such as Chemicals or Mercury reduction) that EEN has worked on will be used as a case study. Participants will share their experience (both new member states and accession countries) and priorities for local or national campaigns, and identify gaps for future training.

One outcome from this session will be a clearer understanding of participant’s priorities and information needs and building of partnerships between new member states and accession countries to work on specific issues. In addition, CEE priorities identified in the workshop will be fed into the wider EU and European activities of EPHA Environment Network (EEN).

The priorities and experiences from participants in the region will be used to develop future capacity building seminars, feature on the CEHAPE NGO website (www.cehape/env-health.org) and share with other platforms that may be appropriate for future knowledge sharing.

12.30-13.00: Conference evaluation and conclusions 13.00-14.00: Lunch