MY LIFE AS A PAPERBOY

When I went to school I was always looking for new things to do and try - also in my time outside school.  One day I heard from friends in the school that they earned some money every weekend by distributing newspapers.  Gosch, great idea, I thought.  I want to try that.

So, I wrote a personal letter to the editor of the main newspaper in our region, Aalborg Stiftstidende, and suggested that I started such a service in our neighbourhood.   I did not hear anything for some time. But one evening all of a sudden a nice, yellow car with the name of the newspaper came to our farm. The sales director, Knud Poulsen, from the paper arrived. I was very surprised. And so were my parents. Because I had forgotten to tell them about my initiative.  The director started by telling me that he did not believe it would be possible. Why?  Because I was not living in a city or a town with many people and houses.  It was an area with farms and a few houses. So it would be hard work, he said.  No problem, I replied with force.  I am strong and very motivated. So I can do it!   Ok, he said. let's try.   You will the coming three Sunday mornings receive 50 copies of the newspaper for free.  You may distribute them to everybody you want to subscribe to the paper.  And the third Sunday you knock their doors and ask, if they should like to pay for the Sunday paper in the future. 

We did it this way. And you know what?  I got 35 subscribers right away.   I was thrilled!  I had shown it could be done!  Yes, it was hard work. I had to start every Sunday morning at 05.30, when the newspapers arrived. And on my bike I had to drive 35 km to distribute all the newspapers. It lasted about six hours altogether.  The farmers and other "clients" were happy. I was happy. The newspaper was happy.  Now and then an angry dog met me, when I came to a farm.  Normally I could talk to it in a friendly way. This was enough to calm it down.  But I also - for the more difficult cases - brought some goodies in my pocket to make the most angry dogs happy!  My salary for this effort was about 5 Danish crowns at the time. This would be 75 D. Kr. today - or about 15 Aust. dollars. 

Sometimes in the hard winter it was almost impossible to go by bike because of snow and ice. But the newspaper had to be delivered whatever the weather was like.  We had no car at home. But we had a tractor. So my dad drove me by tractor all the way to get the news paper out on time.  It was certainly more costly than the money I earned that day.  But he paid for the petrol - and kept my money :-)  Good deal!

Actually, I very soon got more clients. And the newspaper was so happy about it that I won all their prizes for their best paperboys!  It was especially books I received. Unfortunately, most of the books were for girls!  I still have them. But I haven't read them yet :-(   I also as a special prize got a week's holiday in Norway together with about ten other successful paperboys and girls.   My first trip to another country. I was 13 years old then. Fantastic holiday!

After a couple of years - in 1960 - I had to stop being a paperboy, because I moved to high school about 45 km from home.  I was no longer living at home, but in a nice dormitory at the school.  So the distribution of the newspaper was taken over my our neighbour's son and later by my brother Hans.   But before I left the newspaper wanted to give me a final prize:  a full day's excursion to the city of Aalborg, where the newspaper was written and printed. It was a gorgeous day with other prize winners.  I especially remember our visit to the big, local Tivoli, called Tivoli Karolinelund.  I paid nothing. The newspaper paid everything. It was SO fun. I remember that I in particular enjoyed the big roller coaster.  I had many tours, especially together with the daughter of our director. She was very nice and cute. And you know what?  We had so many tours that I came too late to my bus back home to my parents!  It has left when I came to the bus station.  Oh, my god, what do I do now?!   I took a quick and determined decision.  I will walk all the way home!  The distance?  It was 43 km.  At night.  And on the way I had to pass through the biggest, dark forest in Denmark, Rold Skov.  I knew all that. And I knew the way.  Perhaps you ask: why didn't I call my parents?  Because I did not have any phone. It was many years before the mobile phone was invented. And I did not know anybody in Aalborg.  So off I went.  It took about 8 hours.  Nice weather. But very dark most of the way.  Many cars passed my on the highway. But nobody stopped.  Actually, I was very proud that I walked. I wasn't afraid of anything. When I was in the centre of the very dark forest I thought, though, about the many stories about wild robbers in that forest. I knew it was many years ago.  But perhaps there were still a few of them left ?!   I walked a bit faster and looked around me very often. 

When I finally reached our farm at 4 o'clock in the morning I was surprised to see that all lights were on. All over the farm. What was happening, I thought to myself!  When I entered the house I found out :-(  My parents were SO worried and SO scared about what could have happened to me. They could hardly speak.  My dad was on the phone. With whom?  With the police. Then he said very angrily to me:  Come and take the phone!  The policeman wants to talk to you!  Now I was told that the police had been alerted by my parents many hours earlier, and that they had been looking for me everywhere, he said.  I had also been searched for several times in the radio news of the whole region.  But nobody had found be.  On the way I had seen several police cars pass me. But they did not see me.  At the end the policeman said to me:  Promise me one thing!  Never do that again! "  I promised him not to do it.  And I have kept my promise!

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com  

                                                                                                                    NIELS NIELS JØRGEN THØGERSEN                        

 

 

PRESIDENT FOR ALL EUROPEAN EXPATS

 

On November 15, 2013 I was elected president of the organisation Europeans Throughout The World.    Europeans Abroad, you can say.

 

This is the organisation for all European citizens, who work and/or live in another country than the country they were born in.   Inside the 28 member states of the European Union altogether 14 million European expats are living today.

 

Our organisation consists of national associations in 17 of the EU member states and beyond. The goal is to have member associations in all European countries as soon as possible.

 

Our main programme is to work actively for the following tasks:

 

1)  Voting right for all Europeans in all elections in the country they live in

 

2)  Possibility for dual citizenship in all European countries

 

3)  Real equal treatment also in other areas of all Europeans, when they live in another country than their own

 

4)  Active visibility and communication about these tasks

 

We work for these tasks with the EU institutions, the Council of Europe and other relevant authorities. And at the same time we stimulate our national member associations to do similar active efforts towards the national authorities.

 

We have an office in Brussels and a Board with members from our member associations.

See about my involvement in a big international MBA leadership programme on Sustainable Urbanisation:

HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE HANWANG FORUM IN CHINA

The Hanwang Forum is an initiative to promote a sustainable development in China. It has started in the south-western province of Sichuan, where a terrible earthquake killed 100.000 people in 2008 and destroyed a huge area.  It is the reconstruction of this area, which was the origin of the Hanwang Forum initiative.  The initiative has full support from the Chinese government, the regional government and the local authorities.

 

The main objective of the Hanwang Forum is the following:

Seeking for a new life mode and improving the ability of global disaster prevention, disaster relief and sustainable development, Hanwang Forum is dedicated to paving a way towards harmony and coexistence.

 

Here is the website of the Hanwang Forum:

http://www.hwforum.cn/en/index.php?a=index&m=index&g=home

 

And on this site you see my role in the organisation:

http://www.hwforum.cn/en/index.php?a=zuzhi&m=zuzhi&g=home

 

I have in particular assisted in liaising the Forum with Commissio9ners and other key people in the European institutions, in the EU member states and with a number of professionals in sustainable development in Europe (architects, etc.).

 

I also have given an interview to Chinese TV about my views on the Hanwang initiative:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmxAEvZACSU

 

In the same context I am also involved in a Chinese-European initiative on MBA Executive Training programme. On the European side the leading partners are CBS in Copenhagen, INSEAD in France, Oxford University, and others, and on the Chinese site the leader is Peking University.

I will also be attached to a coming “Green Future” global working committee, which is being established by the Chinese MBA universities in cooperation with Europe and the US.

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

My 16 activities

1.      EU expert: My 32 years in leading posts in the EU and continued active networks gives me easy access to all EU institutions. And also easy and personal access to all 27 member states and beyond.  I hold the title as honorary director-general in the European Commission

 

2.      My strength in Communication:   My specific field is communication, especially interactive communication via the internet, social media, TV and digital radio networks. Engaging and involving citizens. And empowering them by giving them a real and hands-on say in what happens.

 

On communications:  http://www.simplesite.com/kimbrer/5741889 

 

              Some of my previous communication activities in the EU:    

             http://www.simplesite.com/kimbrer/5741893      

 

3.     Developing Green Communication:  Make your communication green. Save resources. Reduce your use of energy. Ensure that your CO-2 foot print is reduced. Let new media tools take over where possible. Don’t print. Reduce travelling. Use Skype or other VOIP tools – also for conferences. Monitor how much you save and can save. Make an analysis of your green status in communication. And let it be widely known

 

4.     My new approach in Networking:  Today’s most efficient work is through networking. Knowing and liaising with the best contacts and partners wherever they are. Get advice on how best to profit from the new Networking 2.0 approach.

 

5.     My work on internet broadband for all – for free: Help me getting broadband to everybody – everywhere. Giving a boost to the economy, to politics, to services, to education, to democracy. Subscribe to my overviews and maps of where you already get it. And help me completing the Guide to where access exists. In all European countries

 

6.     My work for the Club of Venice:   I’m the vice-president of the informal Club of all directors of communication in the governments of the 27 EU countries, in the EU candidate countries and in the EU institutions.  My special fields in the Club are web communication, social media, audiovisual activities, on-line media monitoring through LIVING EUROPE  (  www.livingeurope.eu ) and soon also assistance in communication to the new democratic Arab countries

 

7.     My role as Goodwill Ambassador for Copenhagen:  Helping Copenhagen in its contacts in the EU and the EU countries. And having direct access to leaders, institutions, authorities and companies in the Danish capital. My special fields in this role are cleantech activities, high-tech developments and following EU developments of interest to the city.  www.ambassadornet.dk  

     http://www.youtube.com/Copenhagengoodwill

8.     My work for free and independent media:  With media under pressure from authorizes in most parts ofv the world it is very important to fight for their freedom and independence.  They should also play a key role in nation-building, conflict prevention and peace keeping. Through the BONN NETWORK (  www.bonnnetwork.net ) I am actively involved in helping the media in the new democratic Arab countries

 

9.     Owner of CON AMORE:  a consulting company in communication, EU affairs, etc. Registrered in Denmark and active all over Europe with concrete tasks in my areas of expertise. http://www.simplesite.com/kimbrer/7614286  

 

10.                        Active consultant for the pan European TOUR 2012 EUROPE project:   www.tour2012europe.eu    Engaging cleantech companies, major European cities, media and EU institutions in a campaign I 2012 to inspire citizens all over Europe to save energy and thereby money and help the climate. Will be repeated in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020

 

11.                        Musqueteer in DABGO (  www.dabgo.net ):  a world wide network of more than 6.000 Danes with about 80 members in Belgium. It means “Danes Abroad Business Group On-Line” )

 

12.                        Fighting for a stronger Europe:   An active militant fighter for a more forward-looking and dynamic European cooperation to ensure Europe’s continued relevance in the world – our values, our interests, our way of life, our innovation. Active supporter of the Spinelli Group  (  www.spinelligroup.eu ), the European Movement  ( http://www.europeanmovement.eu/index.php?id=5154  ), The New Europe ( http://www.neweurope.org/ ), and of Delors’ Think Tank Notre Europe  (http://www.notre-europe.eu/en/ )

 

13.                        Also active supporter of the new European initiative DEBATING EUROPE:  www.debatingeurope.eu   - especially by engaging citizens via an intelligent mix of social media, TV, sms messages and townhall meetings.

 

14.                        An active traveler :  across my neighbourhoods  across Europe and across the world. Writing operational and up-to-date advice to others going to the same places (  “ Enjoy….. “ ) (http://www.simplesite.com/kimbrer/5741891  )

 

15.                        Author of My Own History:   from my childhood in the Danish countryside to my life and activities in today’s Europe. With my personal and special experiences and lessons over the years. Including my personal account of great persons I have been lucky to meet and work with.

 

16.                        Active genealogist:   Working on my own family’s history since 1962. With the oldest traces going back to 1573 in rural Jutland. Personal life stories,  photos, dates and events. All based on my personal research and not least active help from my large family across Denmark, the US and beyond.  Just a bit of my writings here:  http://www.simplesite.com/kimbrer/5741884    

 

 

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

 

kimbrer@gmail.com

 

www.niels-jorgen-thogersen.dk   ( Danish )

 

www.simplesite.com/kimbrer   ( English )

 

May 29, 2011  -  1^st ed. 

Tour2012europe – At a Glance

Tour2012europe will in 2012 be the biggest green-technology exhibition tour in Europe. In partnership with the Covenant of Mayors' Office (COMO), it will establish contact with more than 2,600 mayors throughout the EU. 

Tour2012Europe will be on the road from April until November 2012 together with, and in co-operation with, leading companies and organisations which all have green technology on their agendas.

Our media partner EuroNews will be covering the exhibition tour by means of reports, news broadcasts and the profiling of selected cities.

COMO selects one of the five biggest cities in each EU member country. The cities selected must be able to demonstrate a strongly committed focus on green technology.

The actual event will be held at a carefully chosen location in the centre of each city.

Who should participate?

Companies, organisations and institutions which need or want European-wide branding of products, services and technologies that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Exhibition partners must take part in the tour in all 27 countries.

What is the cost?

A stand costs 220,000 Euros. Everything is organised in advance. Exhibitors only provide

the content for the stand plus manpower for the stand.

What are the benefits for exhibitors?

        Branding in 27 EU countries in co-operation with CoMO

        Coverage in local media, TOUR2012EUROPE magazine distributed to more than 2,600 Covenant cities.

        B2B event

        Business-to-Covenant cities

        First-mover effects

        European-wide sharing of ideas, activities and projects

        Exhibition partners may use Tour2012europe in their own marketing.

 

Who is behind this initiative?

The organisation behind TOUR2012EUROPE is based on companies which are highly experienced organisers of exhibitions and touring events and activities, in co-operation with the Covenant of Mayors' Office, Cleentech Cluster, EuroNews, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Commission.

If you want to discuss the details further please contact:

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen - kimbrer@gmail.com 

NIELS JØRGEN THØGERSEN

 

 

W H O   A M   I  ?

 

A snapshot on me and my main activities

 

 

                                                  Short and to the point:

 

·         Communicator

·         Innovator

·         Networker

·         Facilitator

·         Pathfinder

·         Story teller

·         And:  Bon Vivant J

 

 

And more in concreto:

 

1.       COMMUNICATION 2.0 :  Developing Obama’s on-line strategy

                                                   for use in Europe

 

2.       On-LINE TRAINING IN COMMUNICATION:  TRAINING 2.0

 

                                                                                      Creating and running training sites on

                                                                                     modern communication on the web

 

3.       CLUB OF VENICE:  Honorary vice-president of informal club of

                                            all communication directors in the 27 EU

                                           governments, candidate countries and

                                           EU institutions

 

                                            Purpose: Exchange of ideas and experience

 

                                           Projects:     LIVING EUROPE

                                                              ( a coming public website on

                                                                policies and discussions in all

                                                                EU member states )

 

                        CAPACITY BUILDING in

                         Communication  ( training, etc.)

 

4.       GOODWILL  AMBASSADOR  FOR  COPENHAGEN:

 

                                                                               Projects:   CLIMATE CHANGE projects

                                                                                               ( esp. Biofuels, SmartGrid, and

                                                                                                electrical cars )

                                                         

                                                                                                Communication around Climate

                                                                                                Change

 

5.       COMMUNICATING  EUROPE    ( making Europe move forward )

 

6.   BONN NETWORK           ( making media support peace building and

                                                   conflict prevention )

 

7.   NAVONA PROJECT       ( starting a master degree in European

                                                   journalism )

 

7.       ADVISOR ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

 

8.       CRONICKLER  -  on Myself, My family, My Work, My Ideas.

 

9.       MY PERSONAL WEB SITES:

 

·         www.Niels-Jorgen-Thogersen.dk   ( in Danish )

 

·         www.simplesite.com/kimbrer         ( in English )

 

·         www.simplesite.com/communicating_better   ( on new media )

 

10.   ACTIVE ON THE FOLLOWING NETWORKS:

 

·         SKYPE   ( name:  kimbrer )

·         LINKED IN

·         ECADEMY

·         FACEBOOK

·         PLAXO

·         hi5  

·         XING

·         TWITTER

 

 

 

 

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

 

e-mail:  kimbrer@gmail.com  

 

January 2009

In the "good old days" information was something you sent out to people. In a brochure, a letter or perhaps even in a newspaper. If anything was sent out at all 😠

It is no longer like that. People don't bother to read what it just thrown at them. They are constantly tempted by much more interesting things.

Therefore, it is today a golden rule that anybody who wants to get in contact with the citizens must give them an easy way to ask questions, propose things, criticise, discuss the subjects. They have to be at the centre of things - not the sender of the information.

This is how it is. Whether you like it or not. And things will definately more and more go in that direction.

We are very lucky that we nowadays have a lot of new communication means, which fit perfectly to these needs.  They are efficient, easy to use and even cheap. And they can reach people whereever they are at any time. Everybody is moving around most of the time. That's why modern communication also has to be mobile.

What am I talking about ? A few examples:  The Internet. Blogs. Video-blogs. Podcasting. Skype telephony. Digital televison. Wikipedia. Automatic translations from language to language. Citizens Journalism. Media monitoring. And much much more.

I have decided to become an expert in these matters. No more - no less. 🙂  Not so much the technical side of it. But how these communication means can be used - alone and in different combinations. Which are the best experiences around the world. And which are the bad ones.

I intend to develop my knowledge on these matters systematically and rapidly. And also to share this knowledge  with others - in different ways and in different places. Some time ago I had the opportunity to present it to all directors of communication of the governments of the EU member states.

I have made a special home page with the information I am collecting:

www.simplesite.com/communicating_better    

Comments and suggestions are most welcome:  niels@skynet.be 

It's great to know more about yourself! Especially if it is good news🤩

Part of yourself is your past. Your roots! Where do you come from? Who were all the good people who were there before you? Your ancestors.

I have for more than 40 (!) years been studying my family way back in history. Actually, I am at the moment back to 1573 for a part of my dad's family. And altogether I hold almost 3000 names in my computer on relatives - past and present. It is really great fun. Now and then almost a Sherlock Holmes work. You have to guess. You have to be lucky. And first and foremost you have to be very systematic.

I am also collecting old photos of my family. I have about 35 electronic photo albums on the web.

Have a look at my father's family on the paternal side:

http://photos.yahoo.com/anders_christian_thogersen

I will very soon make - also in English - a Guide to Your Roots. You should absolutely try! You will never regret it!

 I have from 2006 accepted also to be a Goodwill Ambassador forCopenhagen.🙂

A Goodwill Ambassador is a person who knows Copenhagen and thinks that the city has something to offer - and who wants to pass on this knowledge and positive attitude to others. This can be done through:

·             using topical occasions when together with local business relations, to extend the knowledge of the Danish capital as an attractive business region - e.g. at a business lunch or at a meeting at the local business club,

·             giving speeches, send out materials or in one way or the another to act as official Copenhagen Capacity and/or Wonderful Copenhagen representative,

·             passing on names of relevant leads regarding company locations/investments or meetings/conferences. I.e. if a Goodwill Ambassador meets somebody considering any of the before-mentioned activities, the two organizations should be informed so that (after consultations with the Goodwill Ambassador) they can send materials and otherwise try to motivate the person in question.

The possibilities for the individual goodwill ambassador are many. However, there is no demand or expectations as to the performance of certain actions or activities. It is up to each goodwill ambassador to decide what to do based on available time, possibilities, and commitment.

 

Modern and efficient communication becomes more and more important. No public institution will have success, if it does not give its communication efforts top priority. The same is valid for private corporations and other actors, who want to involve citizens and make them interested.

At the same time so many new communication methods andcommunication tools are available today. New ones develop all the time. They can be used individually or in combinations. The crucial point is that you stimulate a two-way communication with citizens. Not just an old-fashioned trowing information at them. Two-way - not one-way.

This is, of course, new to many communicators. Especially communicators at senior level. They don't know much about it. And, therefore, they often neglect it or fight directly against using the new methods and tools.

I am actively involved in the creation of the European Communication Academy, which will offer one week hands-on courses in modern communication. Our target groups is senior managers in communication from the public and private sector. The tutors at the courses will be the best practitioners available - and this will be combined with on-the-spot visits to f.ex. modern TV News Rooms, suffisticated commmunication companies, etc. All the way:  the best of the best.

The Academy will start in 2007. It will be hosted and run by ULB - Université Libre de Bruxelles.

THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT PREVENTION

 

We all know that media are playing a more and more important role in the world. Television, radio, newspapers, the Internet, blogs, etc. This role can be positive as well as negative. Intended or non-intended.

 

We also know that the world is unfortunately still seen a lot of conflicts in many countries. In Europe we have more or less got it under control, not least due to the European Union.

 

But around the world peace is often difficult to keep and project. Between countries and not least inside countries.

 

I am actively involved in a big project, which will try to strengthen the role of media in peace building and conflict prevention.

 

End of April we gather more than 110 actors in the field at a conference in Bonn, Germany. There were respresentatives from the EU, the UN, UNDP, World Bank, OSCE, the Council of Europe, the German EU Presidency, the European Broadcasting Union EBU, the International Federation of Journalists IFJ, Universities. And many more.

 

All agreed that there is a strong need to cooperate much more in this important field. To make the work more efficient and not least to make it possible to intervene much quicker and well before a conflict starts.

 

We will now develop such an informal, but important network (“The BONN NETWORK”) with all institutions and organisations, who want to join.  We will develop “tool boxes” ready to be used in different situations. And we will make a time plan for the implementation of the many projects in the pipeline.

 

NJT – May 11, 2007

The main outcome of the April conference on the Role of Media in PeaceBuilding and Conflict Prevention was the creation of the BONN NETWORK.

This is an informal NETWORK of key stakeholders in these important projects: European institutions like the EU, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. International organisations like the UN, UNDP, UNESCO, etc. Governments like the previous German Presidency of the EU. Media organisations like the European Broadcasting Union EBU, the IFJ - the International Federation of Journalists and GFMD - the Global Forum for Media Development. A number of important researchinstitutions like the Columbia University in New York.  And lots of very important NGOs from around the world.  More and more members join all the time.

And the first concrete projects in the field are already well under way.

See my enclosed article about the BONN NETWORK in a new book about this project:

THE BONN NETWORK:  WHY – AND VISION FOR THE FUTURE

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

 

Media and Communication Consultant

 

 

The cold war is over. We have all celebrated  its disappearance for years. And we should continue to do so – and try to ensure that it does not come back in one form or another.

 

But  the end of the world-wide cold war did not mean that conflicts ended altogether. Unfortunately, they continued in large parts of the world, including in Europe in the Balkans. Not wars between nations, but inside nations. At all times – also today – we can easily count 40-50 serious conflicts around the world. The UN, the European Union, NATO, the African Union, and others are active to try to stop them. In some cases with success, in others without.

 

It is evident that new and more efficient methods have to be launched to help to improve the situation. To help in peace building and also in preventing potential conflicts from braking out.

 

We believe that MEDIA should play a much stronger role in this context than they do today. All media: TV, radio, the written press, the Internet, etc.

 

Media are strong. Media exist everywhere. And media normally feel a strong co-responsibility for a positive development in the societies, where they operate. Especially the so-called public service media, but most of the others too.

 

Don’t media already play a role in peace keeping and conflict prevention? Yes, they do. Many projects around the world are good proofs of that. Either the media initiate these efforts themselves in many different ways.Or they are part of projects supported by international organisations, governments, and others. So far so good.

 

But the real and serious problem is that these efforts are hardly ever coordinated. Each project is started and run by itself. Without coordination with others and without learning from previous experiences. This is, of course, very bad and very deplorable.

 

The BONN NETWORK is an initiative to try to solve that problem. What do we want to do?

 

First of all, we want to ensure an ongoing informal coordination between all actors in this field. We want to build a simple and non-bureaucratic structure, which includes all potential stakeholders from the intergovernmental organisations (UN, UNDP, UNESCO, the World Bank, OSCE, the Council of Europe, etc. ) to the EU institutions,  the media ( incl. the EBU and IFJ), the many NGOs operating in the field, and the research institutes dealing with these questions. By bringing them together in the Network we have a great chance to ensure that they are all well informed in time on what is going on and can benefit from each other’s experience

Secondly, we want the BONN NETWORK to be pro-active with the donors in the sense that  we try to identify potential conflict areas well in advance, prepare a  project to try to address these problems in time, and arrange that those NGOs and media which have the necessary expertise and capacity to run such projects will finalise the proposal and run it, if the funding is forthcoming.  It goes without saying that each project will have different participants.

 

Thirdly, we want the BONN NETWORK to organise itself in such a way that it is able to act with great speed and efficiency when the need is there. Success in conflict prevention is very often a question of time – to be able to act very, very quickly. This means that the NETWORK will create a database with the names and contact points of as many experts as possible. The database will also contain an operational overview of the media landscapes in countries and areas where conflicts might arise.  It will also in its database have an up-to-date overview of possible funding possibilities for different types of need. It will build a very efficient and fast communication network between its members. And it will try to have framework agreements with important donors like the EU Rapid Reaction Mechanism giving it the possibility to act and react with immediate effect – and not always have to wait for procedures, which can take too long to complete. These procedures must if possible be finalised before the needs arise.  It is evident that donors like the EU and others are very interested in working with large networks like the BONN NETWORK instead of having to deal with individual partners in each case.

 

And as a fourth point the BONN NETWORK will on a permanent basis work closely with universities and other research institutions to learn from their research in previous experience in the field. Why not learn from experience in the past? This will bring us all forward. Several universities, including the University of Colombia in the US, have shown a very active interest in working with the NETWORK about these matters.

 

These are the main reasons why we took the initiative to create the BONN NETWORK. An informal network, where all participants remain independent and responsible for their own activities. But where a closer coordination and cooperation with bring everybody, not least the solutions to the serious conflicts around the world, decisively forward.

 

We strongly believe that this is a WIN-WIN situation for EVERYBODY. For solving the conflicts. For the donors. For the media. For the NGOs.

 

The conference in Bonn at the end of April was a very good start. More and more partners join the Network. And the first coordinated projects are already coming in place in several parts of the world.

 

Let’s all continue very actively along this road. 

 

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

 

niels@skynet.be

 

To whom it may concern,

We are happy to announce that this November, DW-Media Services
published a book about the April 2007 Conference "Media in Conflict
Prevention and Peacebuilding Strategies" which took place here in
Bonn.

We are now looking for interested parties who would like a copy of the
book. We are offering it in print-publication handbook A5 format. All
shipping expenses will be covered by us.

If you are interested in a copy please reply with your name and full
postal address.

In addition, if you are aware of other potential interested persons,
you can fill out the attached form with their names (max. 5) and addresses and
send it back to us. We will take care of the rest.

We greatly appreciate your support in our efforts to distribute this
interesting and invaluable publication.

Best wishes and we hope to see you here in Bonn next year at the
Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum taking place June 2-4, 2008.

www.dw-world.de/globalmediaforum


Sincerely,

Oleg Obolenski

DW - MEDIA SERVICES GmbH
Ein Unternehmen der Deutschen Welle

Geschäftsführer: Gerda Meuer, Paul A. Linnarz
Hausanschrift/Firmensitz: Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 3, 53113 Bonn
Amtsgericht Bonn, HRB 14177
Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Michael Kranz

Fon +49 (0)228 429 - 2146
Fax +49 (0)228 429 - 2140
E-mail: oleg.obolenski@dw-mediaservices.de