Citizens for Change #3
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019
Welcome to the new issue of „Citizens for Change“, whose main theme is cooperation.
Working together to achieve results or helping each other to achieve a common goal – these are some of the answers to the question „what is cooperation?“. But, more important that this are the questions: if and why we cooperate?
The Macedonian civil society is abundant with cooperation examples. Joint initiatives, joint protests, joint projects and even joint offices of the organizations. The civil society organizations more than anywhere recognize the power of cooperation, the power of joining and togetherness.
The national campaign „Macedonia without Waste“, implemented by Ajde Makedonija (Come On Macedonia) four years ago would not have had the same effect unless it relied on the cooperation of as many as 70 CSOs and more than 100 schools. It enables activities at 156 places in 53 municipalities with the participation of 16,000 citizens.
The cooperation sometimes happens at individual, personal level. Such an example was the one of the teachers Tanja and Sonja who called their project idea „Against Violence under the Same Sky“. They started a cooperation to help decrease the intolerance between the multiethnic communities around their schools „Lazo Trpovski“ in the municipality of Karposh and „Liria“ in the municipality of Chair.
On the pages of this issue you will see numerous initiatives that are based on cooperation. Such is the protest of ten CSO networks which together unite around 100 CSOs and initiatives. They asked the parliament for urgent election and appointment of people in a number of institutions and bodies by the Committee on Election and Appointment Issues, and they also sent written requests to all MPs in the Parliament of RNM.
But why is cooperation important? It is the basis of the functioning of the CSOs; actually, in order to establish a CSO at least five citizens should join. Their joining, this initial cooperation has happened because they have recognized its power. As the individuals, as social beings are constantly referred to each other, the organizations are constantly referred to other organizations, institutions, citizens, as they exist and work.
Civica Mobilitas pays a lot of attention to cooperation. We are convinced that by cooperation, the results of all organizations will be even bigger. We are aware that in the time of low general trust in the society it is not easy at all to cooperate, but the people in the civil sector have always set the example to the others. In the end, we are familiar with the old African saying: „If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to go far, travel in company!“. The social changes towards which we strive are our long paths, and they can be overcome only if we all cooperate.
