Förderprogramm Belarus

Origins and Objectives

The Belarus Support Program (BSP), referred to as Förderprogramm Belarus in German, was implemented from January 2002 to May 2023. Envisioned as a long-term partnership program fostering Belarusian-German cooperation within civil society, its overarching aim was to contribute to sustainable development across all regions of Belarus.

In its 22-year history, the BSP has supported the successful implementation of more than 270 projects. These initiatives have focused on bringing about positive changes in various areas, such as non-formal education, healthcare, inclusion, social assistance and social entrepreneurship, ecology, energy, and sustainable regional development.

Overcoming Boundaries

The program’s core principle, “Overcoming Boundaries”, embodies its philosophy. From its inception, the BSP has been rooted in the concept of a shared European home and the necessity of multilateral cooperation, which requires transcending physical and mental barriers in the broadest sense.

Our intention has never been to impose our ideas on others. Instead, we seek to foster a collaborative environment where we can learn from one another and work towards common goals.

Astrid Sahm,
Managing Director of IBB gGmbH

Metrics and Milestones

Over the program’s duration from 2002 to 2023, more than 270 collaborative German-Belarusian projects were successfully implemented.

The program engaged more than 300 Belarusian and over 130 German partner organizations, creating a robust network of collaboration.

The program provided support to more than 30 public and advisory councils, being established at local, regional, and republican authorities. The program’s experts assisted the council members in addressing various issues such as inclusion, rural ecotourism, social protection, and local sustainable development strategies.

The program participated in the development and implementation of over 25 local and regional sustainable development strategies, including the National Strategy for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development until 2030 and the National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2035, as well as the Sustainable Development Strategy of the Mogilev Region until 2035.

Key approaches

Building Long-term Partnerships

Building long-term partnerships. The program’s distinctiveness is deﬁned by its steadfast dedication to overarching goals throughout various stages. Emphasizing long-term impact over short-term results, achievable within the limited timeframe of each stage, has been a cornerstone of the program’s success. This approach enabled the establishment of trusting partnerships while addressing speciﬁc focuses relevant to the challenges existing at each stage.

Creating Networks and Platforms

The program actively supported the establishment and growth of networks and platforms for dialogue at various levels, ranging from local to national. Implemented through project activities and support programs, this approach fosters interaction and dialogue among different stakeholders through forums, intersectoral working groups, and public councils, facilitating the interaction of different stakeholders and the ex-change of information on diverse topics. The program’s most prominent platforms for interregional, intersectoral, and international exchange were the “Weeks of Sustainable Development” and the “Republican Social Forum”.

Consistent Work Across all Regions

Consistent work across all regions. The program’s work extended to all regions of the country, not solely relying on the capital and the expertise and resources concentrated there. Instead, it embraced flexibility and openness to bottom-up initiatives. This allowed the program to respond to the needs of project partners and local communities, ensuring consistent and impactful work throughout all regions of the country.

Program ActivitiesMain Thematic Directions

Sustainable Development

The primary focus of the Belarus Support Program in the field of sustainable development was to provide methodological support for the elaboration, implementation, and monitoring of sustainable development strategies (SDS) in local communities and regions, and subsequently, the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS).
The Sustainable Development Weeks (SDW), held in 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2017, played a significant role in shaping the Belarusian movement towards sustainable development. Pilot projects contributed to the development of organic farming, environmental management and circular economy, the qualification of specialists in the energy-efficient construction and real estate management, the implementation of ecological purification facilities, and more.

A Fair and Inclusive Society

The Belarus Support Program’s work in the social sphere commenced with a focus on pilot projects designed to foster inclusivity. These projects demonstrated the innovative capabilities of CSOs and the positive outcomes resulting from intersectoral collaboration. Through joint efforts, there was notable shift in the perception of individuals facing challenging circumstances for various reasons. They ceased to be passive recipients of organizational assistance and instead became equal participants in decision-making processes, project implementation, and result assessments.

As a result of the growing mutual trust and an intensive three-year consultation process, in 2012 the Belarusian Ministry of Labour and Social Protection introduced the mechanism of social service contracting.

Organizational Development

The main goal in this area was to enhance the effectiveness of activities, ensure sustainability, and develop the organizational capacity of Belarusian civil society organizations. This implied improving the managerial and professional competencies of their activists and staff.
Numerous knowledge- and experience-sharing events, held as part of the Belarus Support Program since 2002, facilitated the pooling of resources among various stakeholders. The BSP team considered it crucial to continually support the development of network cooperation and contribute to strengthening the potential of network partners. For instance, starting in 2007, the BSP supported projects to create and develop a Partner Network of Sustainable Development Schools, which led to the registration of the “Education for Sustainable Development” Association in 2014.

Learn more about the BSP

Please head over to our presentation.

About the BSP

The program’s implementation and conceptional evolution were guided by the International Centre for Education and Exchange (Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk gGmbH) in Dortmund (shortly IBB Dortmund). A key precondition of the program’s success was the close cooperation with the Johannes Rau Minsk International Educational Centre (IBB Minsk) and a wide range of Belarusian and German partner organizations. Financial and institutional support was provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Society for International Cooperation, GIZ).

The Agenda 2030: Potential for Further Cooperation

Despite the conclusion of the Belarus Support Program, IBB Dortmund remains committed to continuing its work in the interest of sustainable development.

This commitment is based on the shared conviction of all team members at IBB Dortmund gGmbH:

“Without a strong civil society, there is no future. We strive to direct attention to challenges that persist beyond the paradigm of political disagreements and conﬂicts. Climate change, demographic crises, aging populations – these are all issues that the state cannot solve without compromise with society. It is crucial for us to preserve the potential for the future development of Belarusian-German cooperation in the context of the 2030 Agenda.”

Stay Tuned

Results and Follow-up-Projects

For more information on the results of the Belarus Support Program and the work of IBB Dortmund within the context of the 2030 Agenda, please visit:

IBB 2030 Agenda Hub:
ibb-d.org

Sustainibilty Educational Platform:
ibb-edu.org

Contact

Are you interested in finding a partner with experience in international civil society cooperation? Please feel free to contact us.

Internationales Bildungs- und Begegnungswerk (IBB) gGmbH
Bornstraße 66
D-44145 Dortmund
Mail: info@ibb-d.org
Phone: +49 (0) 231 952096-0

Hanna Perfetti

Teamleitung / Programmkoordinatorin

Nachhaltige regionale Entwicklung

perfetti@ibb-do.de
+49-231-952096 30

Aksana Mende-Yankovich
Programmkoordinatorin des Sozialen Bereichs
(z.Zt. in Elternzeit)
yankovich@ibb-do.de
+49-30-88 00 74 74

Aliaksandra Kurylovich
Projektkoordinatorin Nachhaltigkeit,
Kreislaufwirtschaft und Soziales Unternehmertum
kurylovich@ibb-do.de
+49-231-952096-30

Oksana Elova
Projektkoordinatorin im Sozialen Bereich
elova@ibb-do.de