Development Cooperation Handbook/The video resources linked to this handbook/Ideas that emerged following Eugad workshop and training program, Sofia, Bulgaria April 2010/Report on Intercultural Training Program in Sofia, Bulgaria. April, 2010

Building the transnational partnership into cooperation for development. Benefits and challenges

Following Eugad workshop and training program. Sofia, Bulgaria April 2010

Executive Summary

The partners meeting in Sofia emerged as a necessity during halfway project time to evaluate the first year’s activity, highlight the results and successful implementation and recognize the possible oversights or miscommunications.

A certain workflow gap has been observed among the partners as a result of setting different expectations as to project coordination, cultural background and work ethic.

The need to synchronize partners implementation and results throughout the project and set further steps gained shape into a training and workshop program, on the basis of intercultural awareness and management strategy.

Several significant achievements resulted following the partners meeting in Sofia, notably:

• the opportunity for the partners to meet and to better get to know each other, more effective communication and partnership reinforcement
• intercultural awareness program giving the chance to exchange from local approach to planning, acceptance of diversity, curiosity and learning, communication patterns and cultural expectations – including specific gestures, traditions and attitude towards global society, social acceptance, work ethic and hierarchic management
• extended partnership with representative from Rroma community in Bulgaria with the effect of social inclusion opportunities and participation of this minority group into policy making and local governance
• resolving crises management through meeting and working together with partners, discussing specific issues related to project coordination and technical tasks

Workshop highlights

• the great interest among the participants in learning about intercultural aspects in a transnational partnership
• diversity related issues and its crucial role in working in cooperation projects and development oriented strategies
• partners' networks and supporters, a venue that can help influence the policy making process both at the European and local level
• cultural differences between the Eastern and Western countries - the level of limitation in daring to start new and innovative projects, most probably based on a history of lacking social acceptance and identity

Program objectives

1. Define milestones of first year of activities within the project, identify strengths and weaknesses in partnership management
2. Benchmarks from implementing activities in Romania, provide key methods and tools for effectively introduce them in Bulgaria
3. Cross cultural exchanges – address different cultural approach to planning the activities within the project, communication methods and language differences, intercultural task management
4. Reinforce the cooperation level among the partners through discussing potential issues and obstacles and responding to specific needs on a national and local bases
5. Increase the cultural awareness and capacity to expand the extent of local knowledge, in best preparing and introducing the project’s outcome.

Ideas summary

It is rather beneficial for partnership building and generating successful results during cooperation for development endeavor to recognize the impact of diversity and to give the partner states the opportunity to meet on a mutual ground and exchange from their various experience and cultural perspective.

The contribution of newly member states to increasing the project’s horizons has been repeatedly emphasized as the key way of gaining a new perspective on how the MDGs are perceived, good and bad practices in implementing them by empowering the local actors. Incidentally, by encouraging representation of Rroma ethnic minority, significant ideas on improved education system by involving the local authorities as well as participation in the policy making have emerged.

The element of diversity has been stressed several times as the key ingredient to progress and successful partnerships. It is at the essence of building the European Union itself to recognize the role of culturally and historically divers nations and to work on understanding, accepting, learning the differences and finding a mutual language and constructive ways to work together.

Therefore, one of the most important aspects to highlight was the initiative of including the newly members from Eastern Europe, their significant contribution in reaching the local authorities, educators and media and learning from the partners in this region’s unbiased perspective on cooperation for development. While the necessity for a certain culture of giving education at the public level has been recognized, so many important aspects in implementing the MDGs in the region were brought to the table, particularly models to follow or to learn from. The experience of the partners to some extent but mostly their initiative and drive for learning more and successfully achieve the goals for development – are all part of the positive outcome of the meeting in Sofia.

One of the program’s priorities – resolving the differences in managerial approach and vision has been successfully achieved by identifying a rather flexible and open style in coordination, in an attempt to encourage initiative and creativity of the partners in implementing the project, while their need for a closer communication and guidance was acknowledged on the basis of cultural background.

It turns out to be more rewarding to work with our counterparts in an environment of mutual understanding and aligned objectives. And nowhere can this be more needed than in an European endeavor, where misunderstandings based on culture can make or break lucrative projects, transnational partnerships and any other type of cross-cultural working.

In our attempt to raise our cultural awareness and enable us to communicate effectively across national cultures, our partners workshop meeting was meant to stimulate our beyond-self-culture personal curiosity and enable us to work more effectively with our counterparts from neighbor cultures.

The intercultural training program in Sofia, Bulgaria was therefore a success, resolving all of the objectives proposed and setting the ground for a reinforced transnational partnership, improved communication, a more culturally aware coordination and effective steps, both strategic and technical for successfully implementing the Action.

Event Description. Minutes Report

General information
Internal Team Training, Sofia, Bulgaria
'Why Intercultural matters in European partnerships'
Date:
April, 12th-15th, 2010
Time:
10:00 - 17:00
Location:
Sofia, Bulgaria

Event objectives

• Define milestones of first year of activities within the project, identify strengths and weaknesses in partnership management
• Increase know-how related to developing a network of stakeholders at the local level and managing communication and input process within the network in order to achieve expected results in gathering resources and efficiently analyzing and mapping the outcomes.
• Increase know-how related to the technical approach of the project, essential for an impactfull and timely contribution to producing the Manual
• Reinforce the cooperation level among the partners through locally approaching potential issues and obstacles and responding to specific needs and national contexts
• Increase the cultural awareness and capacity to evaluate the extent of local knowledge, in best contributing to the Manual's case studies and offering valuable input for the documentaries.

Brief description of the event

Since cultural differences are so deep and intuitive, they can lead sometimes to substantial misunderstanding and miscommunication. Nowhere can this be more detrimental than in an European endeavor, where misunderstandings based on culture can make or break lucrative projects, transnational partnerships and any other type of cross-cultural working.
Our intercultural training workshop is, therefore, an ongoing attempt to raise our cultural awareness and enable us to communicate effectively across our cultures.
Created in close collaboration with the partner organizations, our intercultural program in Sofia is meant to stimulate our beyond-our-own-culture personal curiosity and enable us to work more effectively with our counterparts from other cultures.

Proposed focus

• How a team cooperates in addressing strengths and weaknesses in partnership management;
• Evaluation of the results accomplished in the first year and how to achieve the expected project milestones,
• Benchmarks from implementing activities in Romania, provide key methods and tools for effectively introduce them in Bulgaria (this needs to be better clarified)
• Cross Cultural communication: – address different cultural approach to planning the activities within the project, communication methods and language differences, intercultural task management

Training team

• Stefano de Santis
• Mirela Ciucur
• Liviana Mustafa

Minutes of the Internal Team Meeting

The meetings took place in Sofia and was hosted by Children of Europe organization, in Sofia University.
The participants were invited among the Bulgarian partners and were welcomed by the Project Manager and the Romanian team, who opened the first day meeting with a short introduction about the event and its objectives. The President of Children of Europe organization, Ms. Karina Angelieva, introduced her new team of experts in the project and discussed about the good timing of the workshop considering the importance of aligning partners' ideas and activities at this stage. Mr. Stefano de Santis followed the discussion with some insights on the EUGAD vision and expected outcomes and introduced the partners to the documentary challenge, highlighting the importance of personal motivation and initiative for a successful partnership and management.
Mrs. Mirela Ciucur discussed the agenda and asked the participants to plan together the following meetings and discussions in order to touch base on every pending step concerning the Action. She continued with an interactive presentation, with the support of her Romanian colleague, Ms. Liviana Mustafa, on issues related to the challenges of a transnational partnership and the importance of gaining intercultural awareness in order to achieve the desired impact. She also argued the importance of accepting diversity as a personal and social development stimulant and highlighted a few habits that can secure the success within an intercultural working group. Ms Liviana Mustafa supported the presented ideas with some anecdotes meant to illustrate the messages conveyed and invited the participants to a cross-cultural discussion on specific habits and national stereotypes.
This introduction was followed by a series of direct meetings between the training team and the Bulgarian partners, starting with the National Association of Small and Medium Businesses represented by Mrs. Anna Lalkovska. The meeting took place the same day in the NASMB office in Sofia and offered the participants the opportunity of discussing the project status and potential challenges in implementing the tasks. Mrs. Anna Lalkovska discussed about the work done in Bulgaria by the organization and shared her ideas on the following steps in the Action as well as different opportunities in strengthening the partnership.
The second day, the training team had several meetings with the other partners in the project continuing the direct discussions with Mrs. Malina Georgieva, the representative of Erceq Bulgaria. Expectations and perspectives regarding the EUGAD project were clarified and a framework was discussed in order to secure the desired outputs. Mrs. Malina Georgieva highlighted the important input that Erceq expertise and network can have for the Action and confirmed her interest and enthusiasm in participating in the project. A meeting with Mr. Kamen Chipev, the representative of Time Foundation, followed, offering the opportunity to understand his perception about EUGAD management style and his different approach and reasons for intending to leave the project. Once more, the necessity of meeting on a mutual ground to resolve certain aspects related to the managerial approach, the planning and decision making process within the project emerged as they may not always meet the organizations' expectations from the beginning. Mr. Stefano de Santis used this venue to re-establish connection with Time Foundation representative and explained his approach in managing the project as well as efforts he has done to secure the results and maintain a high level of motivation among the participants. Both sides agreed that Time Foundation has finalized its work within the EUGAD partnership and established the next necessary steps in securing the most impactfull implementation of the pending tasks.
The day ended with a question based interview between Mr. Stefano de Santis and the Romanian organizing team aiming at highlighting the most important aspects related to cultural diversity and how it reflects on the current partnership, ideas useful for the video documentary.
The third day of the meeting was mostly dedicated to planning and brainstorming among all the Bulgarian partners and the training team. Ideas and strategies regarding the creation of Manuals and the best format for presenting them to the identified stakeholders were discussed by Mrs. Karina Angelieva that affirmed again her interest in coordinating the Capacity Building workshop and the possibility of organizing it as a Bulgarian-Romanian joint event. Mr. Stefano de Santis had the chance to share his expectations regarding the documentaries and broadcasting possibilities and further clarified all pending administrative and management related questions. He also discussed the next outcomes of the project – Manuals and documentaries – and suggested some venues of getting the best results from the following step planned for EUGAD, the Capacity Building Workshop.
Technical aspects related to the wiki updating were also mentioned and some aspects were clarified the same day. Further pending steps and potential questions will be discussed and clarified through Skype conferences.

Was an event report prepared?
Yes

Event Promotion
Number of invitations mailed:
15

Anticipated attendance:
10
Attendance:
10

Other methods used for promoting the event (circle all that apply and give details):

• Web site – www.eugad.eu

• Posters

• Brochures

• Newspaper ads

• Radio ads

• TV ads

Participant Details

1. Mirela Ciucur Training/Presentation
2. Liviana Mustafa Training/Presentation
3. Stefano de Santis Video/Management
4. Karina Angelieva Implementation/Coordination
5. Anna Lalkovska Implementation/Coordination
6. Malina Georgieva Implementation/Coordination
7. Luba Ivanova Implementation
8. Daniela Georgieva Implementation
9. Diana Yaneva Implementation

Tools

Why Intercultural matters in Transnational Partnerships?  - an interactive presentation on the benefits of intercultural awareness and practical ideas on building successful transnational frameworks and teams

Cross Cultural Quiz - a practical tactic for learning about different cultures attitudes, habits and mentalities