Tirana, 13 November 2009: In the frame work of the joint project between the Presence and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration (MEFWA) and Aarhus Information Centers Network (AICs) on the promotion of compliance with the Aarhus Convention and related aspects of environmental governance, a series of training events were conducted on 3, 4 and 5 November 2009.

The workshops took place in three locations respectively in Vlora, Fier and Shkodra with the aim of encouraging more effective advocacy strategies among civil society organizations and a greater degree of interaction between state bodies and civic stakeholders in local and national planning processes.

Over 75 participants from NGOs focused on environmental, gender and Roma issues, local government officials and the media attended the workshops.

An international trainer from Bank Watch Bulgaria Ms. Fidnaka McGrath provided a wealth of examples of effective advocacy relating to on-going projects of the International Finance Institutions, together with presentations from the Aarhus Information Centres and the MEFWA.

Mrs. McGrath said it was really a good experience and not that easy to have a clear message with the mixed participation of CSOs and local officials but it was encouraging to see that the participants while being of different groups from CSO, media and state bodies engaged in pragmatic discussions regarding the needs for a better co-operation and planned activities in investments projects.