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Welcome
to the first edition of our eNewsletter for the year
2007!
The three months following our last Newsletter have
been full
of activities for FNSt South Asia. International
conferences,
information programs to Germany, the visit of FNSt
Chairman
Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt to India, and last but not
least the
introduction of a new accounting system – these are
some of the landmarks that have kept us busy. Have a
look
at this issue of our eNewsletter and you will get an
idea!
Many developments are happening in South Asia, and I
am sure
that 2007 will be as thrilling and challenging as
the last
couple of years. FNSt South Asia is involved in many
of these
developments, and we will continue to provide you
with information
about our work in these times of change.
Please also do visit our homepage at www.southasia.fnst.org,
and the Foundation's German homepage at www.fnst.org
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- Dr. René Klaff, Regional Director, FNSt South Asia
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The
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung is a German institution
working
for civic education based on the ideas of
Liberalism. It is
active in Germany – our headquarters is in Potsdam,
close to Berlin – as well as in many other countries
in all parts of the world. In South Asia, we
currently maintain
three offices: the Regional and India Office in
Delhi, the
Pakistan Office in Islamabad, and the Sri Lanka
Office in
Colombo. Through our Regional Projects, we are able
to reach
out to all SAARC countries. |
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DR.
WOLFGANG GERHARDT, CHAIRMAN FNSt, VISITS INDIA! |
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Interactions
with Project Partners, politicians, business leaders
and security
experts – the program of Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt was
tight!
Getting into contact with partners of the Friedrich
Naumann
Foundation in "the world's biggest democracy" was
of central concern for Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt during
his first
visit to India as Chairman of the Foundation. From
its Regional
Office South Asia in Delhi, FNSt implements a broad
spectrum
of projects in the areas of market economy, rule of
law, civic
education and conflict prevention. In his meetings
with Indian
Liberals, Dr. Gerhardt could get first-hand
information about
the activities in the Foundation's core work areas.
Special
references were given to the project "Prevention of
Torture
in India", which is co-funded by the European Union
and
which the Foundation implements in nine selected
Indian States,
and to the programmes dedicated to strengthening
economic
freedom which FNSt carries out with several partner
organizations.
More... |
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OTTO
GRAF LAMBSDORFF IS LAUDED AT HIS 80th BIRTHDAY! |
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Count
Lambsdorff turned 80 on 20th December 2006! The
Friedrich
Naumann Foundation invited for a Birthday Reception
in honour
of its former Chairman (1995-2006) at the Orangerie
in the
Charlottenburg Castle, Berlin, on 29th January,
2007. More
than 500 guests from politics, business and society
took the
opportunity and celebrated one of Germany's most
respected
politicians. Current and former leaders of the FDP
such as
Guido Westerwelle (currently Chairman of the FDP),
Hans-Dietrich
Genscher (longest-serving German Foreign Minister)
and Walter
Scheel (formerly Foreign Minister and Federal
President) were
present as well as representatives of other parties,
among
them acting ministers and former Chancellor Helmut
Kohl (CDU).
The Keynote Address was held by Klaus von Dohnanyi
(SPD),
former Federal Minister and Mayor of Hamburg.
Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt, Chairman of FNSt, stressed
the integrity,
discipline and straightforwardness that have
characterized
Count Lambsdorff throughout his life. For him, the
value of
freedom has always been indivisible. Rule of law and
market
economy are for him the two sides of that coin
called freedom.
Dr. Gerhardt thanked Count Lambsdorff for his
service as Chairman
of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and assured him
that our
work will continue to reflect the norms and values
that the
Count stood for. More... |
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SAGARICA
DELGODA, COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE FNSt IN SRI LANKA, ON
INFORMATION
TOUR IN GERMANY! |
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What's
really happening in Sri Lanka? How should the
Germans react
to the situation of escalating conflicts? These were
some
of the questions asked to Sagarica Delgoda,
Representative
of FNSt in Colombo, upon her visit to Berlin and
Potsdam in
January at the occasion of a multi-party Round Table
on "Stopping
the Escalation of Conflict in Sri Lanka – New
Approaches
for a Joint Parliamentary Initiative", organized in
the
Bundestag. Mrs. Delgoda's first-hand information
about the
aspects of the conflict and its political, economic
and social
ramifications were well received by the German
Parliamentarians
who feel that some reaction to the escalating
situation in
Sri Lanka is needed also by the German Bundestag.More... |
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‘REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AN
ESSENTIAL
PRECONDITION TO A PEACEFUL SOUTH ASIA’
SAYS
DR. GERHARDT…
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Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt, MP and Chairman of the
Friedrich
Naumann Foundation underlined the importance
of a functioning
market economy for creation of a prosperous,
open, peaceful
South Asia, free from poverty and oppression.
He was
speaking at the 2nd SAARC Business Leaders
Conclave
on the topic of "Regional Cooperation: A
springboard
for Growth and Job Creation" held in Mumbai
from
17-18th February 2007. The conclave was
organized by
SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI)
and Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI)
in collaboration with FNSt and the World Bank.
Read
More... |
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The
Young Liberals and Democrats of Asia (YLDA)
held their
first international forum for 2007 in Colombo
Sri Lanka.
The programme was hosted by the Institute for
Democracy
and Leadership (IDL) and the Liberal Youth
Guilds (LYGs)
of Sri Lanka and sponsored by the
Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung...
Read
More... |
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SEMINARS ORGANIZED BY LFP FOR UPCOMING
ELECTIONS
IN PAKISTAN |
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As
a political advocacy group, it will not be
incorrect
to state that FNSt’s partner Liberal Forum
Pakistan
is sensitive to the political pulse of the
country.
That is why since the beginning of the year,
as a vibrant
political platform, LFP has initiated
discussions at
the grassroots level on a culture of
democracy, how
to promote it, what is the role of citizens’
groups
in the upcoming general elections and how can
political
parties and media be made more sensitive to
the voice
and aspirations of the people. These town hall
meetings
have been concluded to date in cities like
Swat, Lahore,
Islamabad, Sahiwal, Mandi Bahaudin, Lakarna
and Gujranwala
and in the coming months they will also be
organized
in other provinces of the country such as
Balochistan
etc...
Read
More... |
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CHANAKA AMARATUNGA MEMORIAL LECTURE,
SRI LANKA |
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On
19th of January 2007, the second Chanaka
Amaratunga
Memorial Lecture was held in Colombo. Dr.
Amaratunga
had an international reputation as a liberal
personality
and an erudite speaker on liberalism. He was
also the
founder of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka. The
Lecture
was delivered by Mr. Warwick Lightfoot, former
Mayor
of Kensington and Chelsea, U.K. The Lecture
was on the
subject of “the British Model of Devolution
and
Local Government”...
Read
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RECONSTRUCTING RELATIONS BETWEEN
WESTERN AND
ISLAMIC COUNTRIES |
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This
was the theme of
the 3rd International Roundtable which was
held in Brussels
on 26-27 November, 2007 jointly organized by
the Mumbai-based
Strategic Foresight Group, the liberal
fraction of the
European Parliament "Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats
for Europe (ALDE)" and the
Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation...
Read
More... |
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PAKISTANI LIBERALS VISITED GERMANY |
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A
delegation of seven liberal Pakistanis hailing
from
FNSt partners in Pakistan visited Germany on
the invitation
of the International Academy for Leadership
(IAF). The
delegation comprised of senior members of
Liberal Forum
Pakistan (LFP), Society for the Protection of
the Rights
of the Child (SPARC) as well as a leading
liberal journalist
of the country...
Read
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF AUTONOMOUS
REGIONS
FOR TIBET |
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A
unique International Conference of Autonomous
Regions
for Tibet (19-20 November 2006) was organised
on the
outskirts of Delhi by the Tibetan
Parliamentary and
Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) which is a
joint project
of the Friedrich-Naumann Stiftung (FNSt.) and
the Tibetan
Parliament-in-exile...
Read
More... |
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SMED: LAUNCHING SME POLICY REFORMS TO FACE THE
CHALLENGES
IN THE SAARC REGION
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Small
& Medium Enterprise Developers (Project
SMED) a
joint project of the Federation of Chambers of
Commerce
& Industry in Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and the
Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung
(FNSt) brought out a publication titled
“Challenges
& Policy Reforms for SME development in
SAARC Countries”...
Read
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AN
INCLUSIVE WORLD
Policy paper on the basis of
the 3rd
International Round Table on "Constructing
Peace,
Deconstructing Terror" by Strategic Foresight
Group,
partner of FNSt |
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The greatest challenge of the 21st century is
for us
to come together to discover our common
identity, to
reaffirm and restore core human values, to
appreciate
our common history and to create a shared
future. In
order to shape an inclusive world in which the
West,
Islam and the Rest have a stake, it is
necessary to
shift from the centuries old model based on
the doctrine
of force, to a model based on the
collaborative harnessing
of the spirit of humanity. The use of force in
the name
of religion, ideology, race or other belief
systems
underpins the pursuit of power. It is in the
essential
nature of states to seek and expand power. It
is in
the essential nature of human beings to
explore principles
of co-existence. We need to achieve a basic
balance
between power and principles...
Read
More... |
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PEOPLE'S FORUM: REFLECTIONS |
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People’s
Forum is a joint initiative of the Rajiv
Gandhi Institute
for Contemporary Studies, Rajiv Gandhi
Foundation and
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung. The Forum was
started in
January 2003 and is a monthly event. People’s
Forum is a programme especially created to
enhance and
promote ‘Active Citizenship’ which is the
underlying principle of a democratic state.
The Publication
encompasses all the issues that have been
taken up from
2003 to end of 2006 showcasing the galaxy of
personalities
who have been part of the programme. It also
highlights
the achievements of the programme...
Read
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REGULATIONS
NURTURE ILLEGALITY
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE REGULATIONS OF DELHI
By P.D. Kaushik,
Rajiv Gandhi
Institute for Contemporary Studies, supported by
FNSt
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There
are more than a million laws, regulations,
gazette notifications
and government orders in India, which restrict
the economic
freedom of business and citizens alike. The
argument
is that excessive regulations stifle
entrepreneurship
thereby promoting “the other path”. When
the compliance cost is too high, individuals
and businesses
prefer to function illegally. This book is
showcasing
regulations in Delhi, which are antiquated and
cumbersome.
Besides, the rules entrust wide discretionary
powers
with government functionaries, which paves way
for rent-seeking
and arbitrary decisions. Although rules are
far too
many, but this book presents select rules
which impinge
on industry, business, agriculture, services,
land and
citizens. This book makes a strong case in
favour of
regulatory reforms, which is the need of the
hour. As
such, this book should be of interest to all
those interested
in policy formulation in India, and
researchers and
students...
Read
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THE MUMBAI CITIZENS HANDBOOK - VOL I:
EFFICIENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY,
TRANSPARENCY – STATE OF GOVERNANCE |
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Mumbai
Citizens’ Handbook 2006 is a compilation of
studies
of various services provided by the
government. This
aim of this Handbook is to offer to Citizens, a
blend
of comprehensive information and an insightful
look
at the core issues plaguing the functioning of
the government
departments and agencies providing these
services. The
book includes short-term and long-term policy
recommendations,
which will hopefully act as the seed for a
constructive
debate between civil society institutions,
politicians
and bureaucrats...
Read
More... |
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Key Person’s Forum will be organized by FNSt
project
partner SMED/FCCISL in Colombo, Sri Lanka in
March 2007.
The new Minister for SME Development will
address the
audience.
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FNSt
Sri Lanka project partner BDS (Business
Development
Services) will launch a booklet "Stand on your
own two feet" in March 2007.
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FNSt India 2nd Alumni Meeting will be held in
New Delhi
from 16-18 March, 2007.
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Liberal Youth South Asia (LYSA) will organize
the First
Regional Workshop of the year 2007 in Karachi
from 29
March–2 April, 2007. The topic of the workshop
is
‘Running a Successful Liberal Organization’.
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Communication and Moderation skills for young
liberals
will be organized by FNSt Pakistan from 27-30
March 2007
in Karachi, Pakistan.
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FNSt Pakistan 5th Alumni Meeting titled ‘Towards
Greater Freedoms’ will be held in Islamabad in
March,
2007.
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The First Aslam Effendi Memorial Lecture on
‘Free
Market Economy in Pakistan’ will be organized by
Pakistan’s first free market think tank
Alternate
Solutions Institute with the support of FNSt
Pakistan
on 12 March, 2007.
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The Regional Meeting of FNSt South Asia will be
held in
Agra in March 2007.
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The FNSt South Asia Accounts Training Workshop
will be
held in New Delhi in March 2007.
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Regional Workshop on "Promoting Access to
Information
and Developing Police Reforms in South Asia",
organised
by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in
cooperation
with FNSt, 23-24 March 2007, Delhi.
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People's Forum will be organized on the topic
"Fledgling
Democracy: Why don’t Citizens Vote?" on 9 March
2007 at Amphitheatre, India Habitat Centre, New
Delhi,
at 18:30 hrs. with FNSt New Delhi project
partner Rajiv
Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies
(RGICS).
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A seminar on "Emerging Investment Opportunities
in
South Asian Power Sector" will be organized by
FNSt
New Delhi project partner SAARC Chamber of
Commerce &
Industry (SCCI) from 20-21 March 2007, in
New-Delhi.
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return this note with “unsubscribe” in the
subject. More information on recent FNSt South
Asia is
waiting for you in our web.
Postal Address : USO House, 6 Special
Institutional Area,
New Delhi 110 067
Tel. : +91-11-26862064 Fax : +91-11-26862042
Email : officeindia@india.fnst.org
Website : www.southasia.fnst.org
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