For the third year the German Stiftung Asienhaus supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung organizes the exchange program EU-China NGO Twinning. This first-of-its-kind program aims at strengthening alliances between civil society organizations from Europe and China. In the context of the exchange one European and one Chinese NGO are paired up as “Twinning-partners”. They will develop a joint project for cooperation and each send one fellow for a job-shadowing stage in the respective other organization for 4 to 8 weeks.
Starting from 2015, the “EU-China NGO Twinning Program” will comprise the Stiftung Asienhaus “EU-China NGO Twinning Program”, which is funded by Robert Bosch Stiftung, and Stiftung Mercator’s “China-EU NGO Exchange Program on Climate Change and Low Carbon Development”. Robert Bosch Stiftung and Stiftung Mercator have agreed to work closely together in future to create a network of civil society organizations from Europe and China.
In future, up to 24 employees from Chinese and European organizations will take part in this program each year, which will continue to comprise its two original constituent parts, i.e. one thematic area “Environmental and Social Justice” and an additional thematic area “Climate Change & Low-carbon Development”.
The selection committee decided for the following seven Twinners in the thematic area of “Social and Environmental Justice”:
(For more information about the selected NGOs and their exchange topics, pleaseclick here)
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Center for Environmental Solutions (Belarus) & Aifen (Shanghai)
Exchange Topic: advancing zero-waste approaches in cities of Belarus and China – public participation in solving environmental issues
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Marine Conservation Society (UK) & Shanghai Rendu Ocean NPO Development Center (Shanghai)
Exchange Topic: Management of marine debris – global issue of marine plastics
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Zero Waste Italy & Friends of Nature (Beijing)
Exchange Topic: Zero Wate stragegies – exchange of knowledge on waste issues – practices and movements/organizations
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Foodwaste.ch (Switzerland) & Shanghai Green Oasis
Exchange Topic: Knowledge sharing on the challenge of food waste, Food Banks, and sustainable food systems
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Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. (Germany)& Tianjin Binhai Environmental Advisory Service Center
Exchange Topic: Air pollution and public participation – health aspects of air pollution
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Forumul Cetatenesc pentru Actiune Sociala si Educatie Civica(Romania) & Evergreen Center for Sustainable Development (Beijing)
Exchange Topic: Social inclusion of young peope with fewer opportunies through environmental activites
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A tip: tap e.V. (Germany) & Eco-Watch Institute (Kunming)
Exchange Topic: fostering sustainable water consumption—awareness raising through theatre-projects
The program will start off with preparatory seminars for the exchange fellows. The exchange period is scheduled from September to December 2015, and will be supplemented with workshops on civil society topics in the respective region.
