Integration/Migration

North-South educational work has received more attention during the course of the Agenda 21 projects. Educational and public relations work of the initiative on a regional level are particularly important.

In Lower Saxony, the North South work initiative mainly comprises volunteer NGOs. One objective is the professionalization of their educational and public relations work. In some cities, the expansion and development of One-World centers is on the agenda. Global partnerships between the North and South are a main focus (www.globlog.net). The association for educational initiatives in Lower Saxony (Verein Niedersächsischer Bildungsinitiativen-VNB) participates in these efforts with new incentives and continuing education programs, especially with respect to global learning in schools.

Since 2004, VNB work also includes environment-related aspects. It promotes education for sustainability in the field of environment. The VNB considers its work to be a component of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

New kinds of exhibitions provide incentives for innovative local educational work

• Global.fair: Fair trade and globalization (www.global-fair.de)
• AIDS: AIDS in Africa (www.aids-truck.de)
• The maze of escape routes: migration, escape, and the situation of refugees in Germany, the threat from the radical right (www.labyrinth-fluchtweg.de)
• Clandestino illegal: migration, illegalization of immigrants, fair-trade products and illegal workers (www.clandestino-illegal.de)
• Masala: cultural exchange – World Music from reggae to hip hop (www.masala-weltmusik.de)

Our multimedia exhibitions take visitors on a tour where they imagine themselves in different roles. Experiencing things from a different perspective can lead to new awareness. Younger people in particular enjoy the multimedia exhibitions. Installed in a trailer truck, they are easily moved and are always an exciting media feature during special project events.

The BEI was established in 1994 as an umbrella association for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to set the stage for more coordinated and co-operative development projects. The BEI's main objective is to create a network and provide assistance for the development projects of its 65 associated member organizations. These organizations focus on different aspects of development policy-related work and have different political approaches to achieve solidarity in our "One World." Their main objectives include:

• to promote education on development policy, public relations and intercultural communication in Schleswig-Holstein
• to support the Human Rights Movement and the Emancipation Movement in developing countries
• to co-operate in development projects with partner organizations in developing countries - to promote Fair Trade
• to support the Agenda 21 goals
• to provide information about the countries of origin of immigrants and refugees, reasons for migration and refugee flows, and racism
• to promote environment and climate protection

The BEI aims to establish a network for these different One World projects, which are carried out by full time and voluntary workers. The association wants to provide support and training for the involved partners, and aims to represent their and its own development policy concerns in terms of political and administrative issues. The BEI's work is based on the concept of Sustainable Development, which combines ecological, economic and social issues. This concept makes changes necessary both in the North and in the South. In this context ecological issues are as important as the development concepts, because they are mutually dependent.

In different projects and events the BEI functions as a facilitator of co-operation among its associated member organizations, other local development networks or initiatives, and organizations concerned with different aspects of development policy-related work. In Germany the BEI is co-operating on a federal level with the Platform of the German One World Regional Networks (agl) and the Association of German Development NGOs (VENRO).

The Free State of Saxony supports the goal of a sustainable develop-ment according to the Millennium Declaration of the United Nations 2000. Sharing the responsibility with the federal government and the municipalities, the state of Saxony attempts to contribute to and promote development cooperation. This was reconfirmed through the signing of the 2014 Resolution on Development Policy of the Minister Presidents of the German Federal States.

Arche noVa is an aid organisation that sets up humanitarian aid projects (Syrien, Irak, Libanon, Ukraine), development cooperation projects (Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippinen, Uganda, Äthiopien, Somalia, Mali, Kenia) as well as development education in the form of school projects on topics such as ‘water’, ‘world trade and globalisation’, ‘(international) conflicts’ and ‘humanitarian aid’.

The main activity has been providing free legal aid to socially vulnerable population in Croatia, both in administrative and court cases, including in-court representation. The BGO continues the work of the Norwegian Refugee Council that was present in Sisak from 1999 to 2004.