Macedonian Institute for Integration was a co-organizer of the international high level conference named as “FIRST GATHERING OF THE REFORM LEADERS FROM THE WESTERN BALKAN REGIONS AND EXPERTS ON THE EU PROJECT FUNDING (GOR)” which was held on the 31st May and the 01st June in Brussels.

This first gathering of the reform leaders from the Western Balkan was tailored for the practical needs of the leading public, private and nongovernmental organizations, providing necessary guidelines and tools, introducing innovative project design approaches such as: combining knowledge and participation, participatory decision-making processes, open method of coordination, reaching excellence in quality management, monitoring and evaluation methodologies and cutting-edge leadership practices.

The Conference program was focused on the issues considered of high priority for the Western Balkan beneficiaries such as institution building, regional development, environment, energy, tourism, SMEs, research and innovation, cross-border cooperation and cross-cultural cooperation.

The Conference was supported from over 100 MEPs and the key speakers were:

• MEP Jelko Kacin; Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo;

• MEP Tanja Fajon; Vice- Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee,

• MEP Alojz Peterle; Member of the Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee and Former Prime-Minister of Slovenia

• More than 20 experts and influential members of the European Commission which directly work on EU funded projects and programs.

This first gathering was regarded as an event of great significance for the development of capacity and experience exchange with other participants from the regions of the Western Balkan and EU experts to successfully launch, prepare and report for projects supported and funded by the EU institutions.

(The second gathering is coming soon!)