Burma Center Prague
Encyclopedia
Burma Center Prague is a non-profit Non Governmental Organization (NGO) based in Prague
, Czech Republic
. It has been founded by two individuals in 2006. Its main goal is to achieve human rights
, civil rights
and democracy
in Burma.
It does this
The organization is working both in the Czech Republic and implementing global projects.
.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It has been founded by two individuals in 2006. Its main goal is to achieve human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in Burma.
It does this
- by analyzing the situation in Burma and by informing and involving the European public;
- by serving as a bridge between Europe and Burma;
- by providing needed services for Burmese, in particular capacity building and facilitating the integration of refugees; and
- by supporting the empowerment and active participation of Burmese for the transition of Burma.
The organization is working both in the Czech Republic and implementing global projects.
Activities
Main activities comprise:- Providing services to refugees from Burma who came to the Czech Republic, especially to those who came within the UNHCR resettlement program.
- Supporting grassroots organizations of Burmese refugees in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
through capacity buildingCapacity buildingCapacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...
, micro finance and other activities. - Responding to the famineFamineA famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
in Chin StateChin StateChin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...
. - Supporting Burmese exile media and Burmese bloggers.
- Promoting responsible tourismResponsible TourismResponsible Tourism is tourism ‘that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit’.The 2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations defines Responsible Tourism as follows:...
to Burma. - Providing expertise and reports on issues related to Burma.
- Campaigning for the release of Burma's political prisoners.
- Organizing conferences of the Burmese exile democracy movement and related advocacy organizations.
Celebrity support
Activities by Burma Center Prague have repeatedly been supported by the former Czechoslovak and Czech president Václav HavelVáclav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
.