Name of organization/school:

Young Researchers of Banja Luka

Official address of the organization/school:

Full Address: Mladena Stojanovica 2, 78000 Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Telephone (country and town code): +387 51 320 960
Fax: +387 51 320 960
E-mail: mibl@teleklik.net

Organization’s mission / school specificity:

Legal status: Civic association (there is no legislation on non-governmental organizations in BiH)

Date of creation: 09.05.1999. Date of official registration: 08.07.1999.

YRBL is youth, educational, research, non-profit and non-political NGO with the purpose of raising public awareness of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and popularization of scientific and research work among young people.

Number of permanent staff: 6 Full-time: 0 Part-time: 6

Partner organizations and participation in networks:

- EGEA (European Geographers Association)
- SEEENN (South Eastern Europe Environmental NGO Network)
- EkoMrezaBiH (Electronic Network of Environmental NGOs of BiH)
- DEF (Danube Environmental Forum)
- hCa Mreza (Network of Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly)
- EDA (Environmental Democracy Action) Network
- BLOK 5 (Banjaluka's youth control)

Full name of the accompanying adult:

Miodrag Dakic

Full name of the organization's / school’s legal representative:

Miodrag Dakic

Summary of water and sanitation major activities or campaigns of the organization since 2000:

1. One of major topic at all is Bardaca wetland. It is second biggest wetland area in BiH and it is biggest BiH’s wetland in Danube River Basin. We implemented there several projects and among others are:

“PHOTO SAFARI BARDACA” - As a part of this project, students and professors of Faculty of Natural Sciences visited couple of times marsh complex Bardaca and carried out short research of flora and fauna state. This has been recorded on photographs, slides and video material. Results were presented on Faculty of Natural Sciences in presence of great number of students and guests. Also, short documentary film broadcasted on local TV station. Project was implemented in period of one month and it was supported by University Studentss Service WUS Austria.

“RESESARCH AND PROTECTION OF THE BARDACA ECOSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY” – In cooperation with experts in the fields of ornithology, Young Researchers of Banjaluka realized project of research and protection of endangered bird species in the Bardaca area. The basic idea of this project was directed to the education, animation and informing the public and local community about the function of protection and initiative for creation the plan for the sustainable development of Bardaca. Lectures, TV-programs, reports and brochures were the ways of introducing the publicity to the results of this project. This project has been realized during the period of six months as a part of Program of Small Financial Supports of Regional Environmental Center (REC) in Central and Eastern Europe.

INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMP-BARDACA 2001 – Thos camp has been organized together with Youth Communication Centre and Faculty of Natural Sciences from Banjaluka. It was one of three camps in BiH registered on the world list of international camps. The aim of this project was cleaning and arranging the area around Research Centre of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. In working camp participated five foreign and ten local young people. Project was financed by Danish organization Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke.

FEBRUARY 2ND – WETLANDS DAY-As a part of world’s wetlands day we arranged presentation of our previous research work and activities on marsh ecosystem Bardaca (projects “Photo Safari Bardaca”, “Research and Protection of Biodiversity”, “International Work camp-Bardaca 2001”). There was also presented Convention on Wetlands, and after that was discussion with the subject “Sustainable Development of Bardaca”. Representatives of Ministries, faculties, governmental institutions, international and NG organizations were present. All of the participants in the discussion evaluated it as useful.

LICENCE BARDACA- LICENCE Bardaca project (personnel capacity development of local institutions in sensitive areas) has been started as part of European Commission LIFE project. Project leader is Institute for City Planning, and YRBL took part in a Working Team for local economic development. Project is directed to conflict resolution among directors, tradesmen, municipal structures and local population of Bardaca as sensitive area. A part of a plan of this Working Team is education of the local population on the sustainable development and eco-tourism, as well as action of removing the waste materials in the reservation area.

We are also member of Danube Environmental Forum and our members participated in many meetings related to Danube River protection, such as:
- Regional seminar: NGO Participation in the Danube River Basin Management Plans, December 2001, Bratislava Slovakia
- Danube Environmental Forum - General Assembly, October 2002, Slovakia
- Development of Strategy for Public Participation in Danube River Basin Planning in line with the EU Water Framework Directive, April 2003, Bratislava, Slovakia
- and many meetings on national level

As this year is International Year of Freshwater, we “used” in this year 3 global environmental dates to underline importance of water resources. That dates are March 22, April 22 and June 5 and we had colorful activities such as video projections of documentaries and movies related with water and environment, international concert, street performances, painting colony, exhibition of paintings and photos, signing of petition for developing Local Environmental Action Plan (LEAP), Blue School, etc.

Please, describe briefly how you are going to participate in the project activities (see attached Second announcement) and which of your implemented projects you are going to present during the Parliament itself:

We will present, campaign “Water-two billion people are dying for it” held on June 5th this year.

Please, describe briefly how you are going to disseminate the results of the Parliament:

As we are leader NGO in project for electronic networking of environmental NGOs in BiH, we will use official web page (www.ekomrezabih.net) for dissemination of results in BiH. For dissemination in our hometown we will publish information in our eco bulletin.

List of participants: