August 20, 2010 | A contract was signed between Norwegian People's Aid - SEE and Regional Centre of Civic Action LINGVA, for the project activities in Kraljevo area. From September 1st 2010 to June 2011 LINGVA will be implement three activities: Women's Club (Social Cooperative - Creative Workshop) Legal aid and Medical - Psychological counseling, whose target groups are refugees and IDPs in collective centers in Kraljevo and its surroundings. Activities will be included about 3,000 displaced persons, refugees and vulnerable local population. The donation by the NPA for the implementation of the mentioned activities is EUR 45,000.

August 2, 2010 |How to achieve the right to social welfare and the right to work was the topic of the first in a series of thematic discussions being undertaken in the framework of the project I want to realize my rights! (which ultimate goal is  establishment of Free Legal Aid Service, within the city administration). Panel discussion was held on Friday, 30 July, in the great hall of the Lingva Centre. Jelena Cekanovic, Program Assistant, presented implemented and planned activities and objectives of the project. Ivan Jankovic, a legal expert of the Center for Social Work, spoke on the topic The right to social welfare, Dragoljub Tesic, an independent legal expert, on the topic the Realization of the right to work" and Dejan Jovic, a legal adviser LINGVA presented examples of good practice of the LINGVA legal team. The panel was attended by about 100 citizens, representatives of the network of organizations and institutions that support the project, as well as journalists of two regional televisions, RTV Kraljevo and TV Melos.Advocacy project I want to realize my rights, is financially supported by BCIF (Balkan Fund for Local Initiatives) and DFID (Department for International Development/United Kingdom government department. Photo

July 10, 2010 |R.C.C.A. LINGVA published the Report on Respect of Human Rights of IDPs/refugees in Central Serbia, for the period July 1st 2009 till Jun 30th 2010, which can be downloaded in English and Serbian. Text

June 27, 2010 |In order to promote the project "I want to realize my rights,"on 25 and 26 June 2010 street action was conducted in which the 12 LINGVA activists and volunteers, briefed citizens on activities and objectives of the project. Lingva activists and volunteers, divided into four groups of three persons, distributed the flyers and posters with the message "I want to realize my rights" in the busiest streets in town, including a broader downtown, as well as rural areas. During two days about 2,000 flyers were distributed and 100 posters stuck. Reactions of citizens, during distribution of promo material and information on the purpose of the campaign were positive and most agreed with the need for the establishment of legal aid services. Promotional material was also distributed and to other members of the network (unions SSS and Independence), so that through their organizations inform their members about the activities and goals. Photo

June 2, 2010 |Civic Initiatives in cooperation with the Regional Centre of Civic Action LINGVA organized the promotion of the new Law on Associations. The promotion took place at the Lingva Centre. The main purpose of this event was the presentation and providing relevant information on the new Law on Associations and legal obligations of the existing civil society organizations (associations and social organization) regarding the harmonization of documents with the provisions of the new law. The present participants  were addressed by Ivana Gliksman, Programme Coordinator of Civic Initiatives for the development of civil society, Djordjije Vukovic, legal advisor to the Civic Initiative, Alexandra Raskovic, the Business Registers Agency (APR), Srdjan Tvrdisic, Organizational unit APR Kraljevo. On behalf of the Town of Kraljevo, was present Mara Borisavljevic - Department of Social Services. About 40 representatives of civil society from several municipalities in Central Serbia took part in the promotion. The event was covered by regional media RTV Kraljevo and TV Melos. Photo

May 26, 2010 |I want to realize my rights! , is the name of the project which will be implemented by LINGVA from May 27 until December 31st 2010. The overall objective is to improve the socio-economic status of vulnerable groups, ie accessibility in exercising their socio-economic rights, through formation of Free Legal Aid Services at the Kraljevo City Administration, as well as in four planned, the newly established municipalities. Through the project activities the decision makers-the Mayor, City Council, as well as the City Assembly, will be affected to reach a decision on the establishment of Free Legal Aid Service by December 2010, and to plan funds for the operation of Free Legal Aid Service in the budget for 2011. Many activities are planned in the project through the advocacy of vulnerable citizens (establishment of network of civil society actors, debates, round tables, the street actions, a petition with 10,500 signatures of citizens, examples of "good practices", the media support). On May 26th an agreement on the project implementation was signed between the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF) and the Regional Centre of Civil Action "LINGVA" within the BCIF program "Public advocacy in local communities."The project will be implemented with the financial support of the Department for International Development UK (DFID), in the amount of 1 439 600 RSD.

April 18, 2010 |LET'S BUILD A COMMON CIVIL SOCIETY is the name of the European forum held in Sarajevo from 14-16 April. The forum brought together civil society actors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and all over Europe committed to a citizen-based Bosnia and Herzegovina. Forums aim is to empower and reinforce the civil society of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to make it a key player in its democratization, and also to contribute to the construction of an overall European civil society. Forum was organized by the Centre Andre Malraux of Sarajevo, the CCFD-Terre solidaire, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in BiH. The forum gathered around 60 civil society actors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and around 40 from other countries of the Western Balkans and from the European Union. Forum NGOs Kraljevo was represented by Jelena Cekanovic, Program assistant. Photo

March 22, 2010 |In September 2002 LINGVA has started implementation of the program Women's Club, which includes 120 women which belong to marginalized groups (internally displaced persons and refugees, and local socially endangered women) with aim of their economic strengthening, as well as providing social support. In February 2010 LINGVA has started activities with the aim of transforming Women’s Club into the Social Cooperative - Creative Workshop...On March 18th Ivana Kahrmann, Programme Manager NPA-SEE (Norwegian People’s Aid – SEE) and Milica Krstanovic, Deputy Programme Manager NPA-SEE visited Women’s Club of the Lingva Centre. Read more Photo

March 15, 2008 | European Standards in Serbia is the name of the project aimed at strengthening the role of civil society in promoting democratic reform, sustainable development and EU integration of Serbia through further strengthening the representative’s capacity of local councils, as well as by motivating citizens to participate in the creation of local and regional policies. The program will be implemented in 11 municipalities of Nis and Pirot District. The project holder is the Center for Democracy - Belgrade, and partner organizations are R.C.C.A. Lingva and Center for Regional Policy - Nis. The project, whose implementation will be carried out during 18 months, is financially supported by the European Commission.

March 13, 2010 | Hygiene packages were distributed to residents of the Roma collective center Old Airport, by activists and volunteers of LINGVA NGO, which they carried out voluntarily. All 184 residents of the Center received hygienic items provided by Group 484 – Belgrade. Of 184 people settled in this collective centre, 91 are children under 15. There are 12 babies from one month to one years of age in this "centre". In the collective centre “Old Airport” live about 30 persons suffering from asthma, angina pectoris, diabetes….Read more Photo

February 20, 2010 | A group of 35 Norwegian students of development studies, at the University of Oslo, was in one-day visit to LINGVA Center and got acquainted with the  activities that R.C.C.A. LINGVA has been implementing since the establishment (1997) to date, as well as of the socio-economic situation in Kraljevo, and Central Serbia. After the presentation of activities financially supported by Norwegian People's Aid, RoyalNorwegian Embassy in Serbia and the Norwegian Refugee Council, which LINGVA activists have been implemented in the past 13 years, Norwegian students were visibly upset because of the numerous problems LINGVA beneficiaries face (over 5.000 beneficiaries). Students from Norway presented Norwegian history, culture and current political, social and economic situation to LINGVA activists and volunteers. The group of Norwegian students visited Roma collective center “Old Airport”, and were shocked by the harsh living conditions in the collective centre, where residents have been living for twelve years. The event was covered by regional television, and Radovan Milicevic , LINGVA director, gave an interview on the current socio-economic situation in the Kraljevo region. The visit was organized by Zorica Zivojinovic, Program Coordinator of the Group 484 - Belgrade.  Photo

February 12, 2010 | LINGVA has continued cooperation with Group 484 and the new 10 months contract for the implementation of EASIER project has been signed (Medical-psychological aid and Volunteering centre, which “LINGVA” realizes continuously from September 1999, with financial support of Norwegian People’s Aid –SEE). Group 484 is the project holder, and LINGVA is the partnership organization which carries out EASER activities in Kraljevo region. The project is financially supported by Unidea – Foundation of UniCredit Group.  Photo

January 14, 2010 | A contract was signed on the implementation of the program "Support to the strengthening of refugee and displaced associations" that will be implemented by the Forum NGOs - Kraljevo (“LINGVA”...). Project activities will be implemented in the period February 1st 2010 - February 2011, with financial support of the "French Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development" (CCFD), in the amount of 35,000 EUR.  Photo

December 4, 2009 | The roundtable on the topic ‘’Financing citizens associations projects from the budget of the City of Kraljevo’’ was held on December 3rd 2009, at the Lingva Center. The round table was jointly organized by Center for Development of Non-Profit Sector, Belgrade and Forum NGOs Kraljevo. Participants in the round table were: Ivana Stevanovic, Center for Development of Non-Profit Sector, Belgrade - Financing of NGOs from the national and municipal budget; Miroslav Mitrovic, (A public good and public interest in the function of the budget); Representatives of local governments - Dragana Bojovic Chief of Department for social activities; Jelena Cekanović, Forum NGOs Kraljevo - Present practice on allocation of funds to civil society organizations in Kraljevo. Representatives of local self-government said that the action plan is prepared for 2010, which specifies financing of certain activities of NGOs, upon criteria defined by the City of Kraljevo. The round table was attended by representatives of local non governmental organizations and media. Photo

November 12, 2009 | Street action in order to promote volunteerism in the organization of the Regional Center of Civil Action "LINGVA" and the Novi Sad Humanitarian Center was held on Wednesday, 11 November in the town square in Kraljevo. Action is carried within the Project -Volunteer! Promotion and improvement of conditions for voluntary work in Serbia." Regional Center of Civil Action LINGVA’ and the Novi Sad Humanitarian Center presented their work and their volunteer program, and offered to citizens to engage in action in the active / creative way, by participating in voluntary quiz. During the action corresponding advertising material on the topic of volunteerism has been distributed to citizens, and participants in the quiz were given awards in the form of books and t-shirt. Citizens and media have shown interest in this action. LINGVA will continue to implement programs that promote volunteerism. These programs LINGVA continuously implements since 2000, through the Volunteer Center. Photo

October 1, 2009 |Ways of joint cooperation with the aim of self-sustainability of civil society organisations through the reduction of poverty was the theme of the meeting held from 28 to 29 September in Sarajevo organized by the French Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (CCFD). The meeting was attended by five civil society organizations: Forum NGOs Kraljevo, Bosnian NGO Citizens Associations "Women of Srebrenica", ESPO Kladanj, Orchid Stolac and the Sun on the Palm Vlasenica. Participants exchanged their views regarding the theme of the meeting with the assistance of Julie Biro, the Director for Southeast Europe of French Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (CCFD) and Emmanuel Vuillod representative of the International Solidarityy for Development and Investment (SIDI) headquartered in France. This is the first in a series of meetings that will be continuously held in the period from January 2010 - January 2011.

August 23, 2009 | A contract was signed between Norwegian People's Aid - SEE and Regional Centre of Civic Action LINGVA, for the project activities in Kraljevo area. From September 1st 2009 until June 2010, LINGVA will be implement three activities that are targeting IDPs and refugee population from the Collective Canters in and around Kraljevo. Activities that will include about 5000 IDPs and refugees are: Women Club, Legal Aid and Medical advisory. NPA is donating 45.000 EUR for the implementation of the above mentioned activities.

July 24, 2009 |Report on Respect of Human Rights of IDPs in Central Serbia-June 2009 Text

June 20, 2009 |The UN General Assembly decided that from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day. Serbia is currently home over to 97,000 refugees and 200,000 IDPs from Kosovo. Over 22.000 IDPs and refugees are settled in Kraljevo town. World Refugee Day was marked at the Lingva Centre in the presence of more than 140 IDPs/refugees beneficiaries, as well as 20 volunteers and Lingva activists. Deputy of Kraljevo Mayor was present at this event. The children IDPs, Lingva IDPs/refugees women beneficiaries and children from local community prepared an adequate performance. . Photo

May 26, 2009| Representatives of AIC International Information Centre, Michael Warschswski, Co-Chairman, Fadi Shbeita, Director of the Sadaka Reut Arab Jewish Youth Partnership, as well as the representatives of CCFD, Julie Biro, the Director of South Eastern Europe and Emmmanuelle Bennani, Desk Officer for Middle East and North Africa were on a two- day visit to Forum NGOs Kraljevo. Guests visited collective centres Old Airport and Marićić, where they were informed by Project Coordinators about the problems that citizens have been facing with. Forum NGOs Manager Radovan Milicevic and guests discussed political and socio-economic situation in Serbia, Balkan as well as in the Middle East and on possibilities for solving post-conflict situation. . Photo

February 9, 2009 |Open letter from the non-governmental organisations from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo to the governments in the Region. Complete text

February 1, 2009 |"How well home countries take care of its invisible citizens?” is the name of two-day Regional Conference that was held from 30 to 31 January at the Lingua Centre-Kraljevo, in the organization of the Forum of Nongovernmental Organisations-Kraljevo. 24 representatives of 12 NGOs from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo (Forum NGOs-Kraljevo, Group 484, The Association of Women of Srebrenica, Association "ESPO", Orhideja, Humanitarian Law Center-Kosovo, R.C.C.A. LINGUA, UNIJA - The Union of IDP Associations, Association of returnees Reintegration, Imagine Serbia, Belgrade Centre for Human Rights - Kraljevo Office, Power of Solidarity), as well as Julie Biro, Project Officer for the South East Europe-French international organisation CCFD, actively participated in the conference. During the Conference participants presented activities that they carry out in order to solve problems of displaced persons, refugees and returnees (repatriants) from EU, in the Region. The representatives of the relevant NGOs in the Region exchanged experiences and through open discussion concluded what are the key problems of so called invisible citizens in the Region, as well as solutions to key problems. After the two-day discussion, the Conference participants defined conclusions as well as the obligatory recommendations that will be sent to the prime ministers of the states in the Region aiming to recommend measures and the activities that the home countries have to undertake in order to protect and realise basic human rights of IDPs/refugees/returnees. The Conference was organised by the Forum of Nongovernmental Organisations - Kraljevo within the program Support to the Setting up of the refugees and displaced associations, financially supported by the French organisation CCFD. Photo

October 24, 2008 | Regional, Balkan Conference on application of Readmission Agreement was held in Sarajevo from 20- 23rd October. The conference was organized by French NGOs, CCFD and MigrEurop. The Conference was attended by representatives of civil society from France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Romania as well as guests from Nigeria.  The participants exchanged experiences and problems that returnees after deportation from EU face during the return to the mother country. The participants agreed that the Readmission Agreemen t signed between the European Union and the Balkan countries has numerous disadvantages, because human rights of returnees have been violated, as well as that application of the law should be postponed until Balkan countries that have signed the agreement provide adequate protection measures for that people. Conference made recommendations and measures that will be undertaken by civil society organisations in the next time period. Forum NGOs Kraljevo- Serbia Executive Manager, Radovan Milicevic, and Legal Assistant attended conference and presented Forum NGOs experiences regarding issues of IDPs, refugees and returnees encompassed by the Law on Readmission, which entered into force on January 1, 2008. Photo

September 1, 2008 | A contract has been signed between Balkan Community Initiatives Fund (BCIF) and Regional Centre of Civic Action LINGUA for implementation of the project “A Friend in Need”. Cooperatiing Netherlands Foundations for Central and Eastern Europe-CNF has provided grant of EUR 8, 940 for implementation of the project "A Friend in Need". The project aims is to facilitate integration of 25 IDPs and refugee children accommodated in collective centers, aged 7-15 years in the environment, including 25 volunteers (from local population), as the children’s mentors. R.C.C.A. Lingua will implement the project from September 1st 2008 until February 28th, 2009. Photo

April 18, 2008 | Public discussion on the topic “Facing the Future” was held at the Lingva Centre on April 18 within youth program Initiative, Sense and Conscience. Guests and lecturer was Jelena Milic, member of Forum for International relations- the European Movement in Serbia and Director of the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies. Jelena Milic spoke about current situation in Serbia, European perspective for Serbia, globalisation and other issues regarding EU integration. Guest answered questions from the audience. The debate featured questions submitted from www.zaislisrbiju.org visitors via the Internet.

April 1, 2008 | Representatives of LINGVA took part in the final Conference on National Youth Strategy held on 31st March in Belgrade. Ministry of Youth and Sport and participants in the process of preparation of the National Youth Strategy presented and adopted final version of the National Youth Strategy. The mini fair was held after the Conference in the lobby of the Sava Centre, where about 50 NGOs presented their work. Four Lingua representatives presented youth programs Initiative, Sense and Consciousness (ISAC) and program Imagine Serbia, financially supported by Norwegian People’s Aid SEE. Activists distributed promo materials regarding Youth programs, which attracted great attention of visitors.  Photo

March 27, 2008 | Public discussion about the level of development of civil society in Serbia was held at the Lingva Centre on March, 27. The event was organised within the youth program Initiative Sense and Conscience. Jasmina Kuka and Zoran Markovic members of the National Index Team presented results of first holistic empirical study of Civil Society in Serbia: The CIVICUS Civil Society Index (ICD) in Serbia. About 50 people attended the debate and participated in the discussion. The debate featured questions submitted from www.zaislisrbiju.org visitors via the Internet.

March 12, 2008 | The public debate In Memory of Djindic was held on March 10, in the premises of the Lingva Centre. The guest lecturer was Mr Zoran Zivkovic, a former Prime Minister of Serbia, also a long-term, closest associate and friend of Mr Zoran Djindjic. The debate was organised within the youth program Initiative, Sense and Conscience. Mr Zivkovic spoke about Mr Djindjic and his work, as well as about the current situation in the country. During the debate, over 100 attendees actively participated and asked questions. The debate featured questions submitted from www.zaislisrbiju.org visitors via the Internet. Lingva Announcement Photo

February 19, 2008 | On Tuesday, February 19, around 21:30h, a group of several tenths Kraljevo’s neo-fascists stoned the Lingva Centre and broke several windows in the building. Around 21:45h the director of NGO Lingva received a phone call from Kraljevo MUP and was informed that several windows were broken in the Lingva Centre and that the duty service of MUP was on the spot conducting a crime scene investigation. After 15 minutes the Director of Lingua arrived at the Lingva Centre and there were several tenths of policemen. Few windows have been broken in the building, in the lobby of the Women’s workshop, where is the gallery of ethno works of IDPs and refugee women, Lingva Centre beneficiaries. In conversation with the police, the director of Lingva hasn’t found out who were the perpetrators. Read more Photo

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