The Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise

Prague, December, 2003

Dear friends, NGO colleagues and project partners,

A new Christmas season has sneaked into our daily work routines and has brought festive mood and nostalgic reminiscences to our lives. Christmas holidays and the celebrations connected with the passing of the old and the coming of the new year are usually also a period of evaluation of the past and planning of the new activities.

We in CDFE are doing the same these days. A thorough evaluation of the 13 years’ long history of our Center and of the present and future needs of our country has led us to the conclusion that the time has come to end our activities in the fields of democracy and free enterprise and start doing something else. By now, a solid basis for democracy has been built in our country and free enterprise has flourished in all walks of our lives. Our contribution to the process of democratization and economic liberalization, however negligible it may seem to have been from any global evaluation point of view, has certainly been positive and useful. Several of our projects had an international dimension, many a national one, and those few oriented to specific local needs also made a visible contribution to the democratization process. Let us remember here at least the most important ones:
· MBA Enterprise Corps (1991-1995)
· Training of Czech Parliamentarians (1991-1996)
· Sabre Foundation Book Donation Program (1991-2003)
· Privatization and Corporate Governance Training (1992-1995)
· Legal Resource Center (1994-1996)
· Parliamentary Internship Program (1995-2002)
· NATO Information Center (1997-2002)
· Training of Czech Government Officials in EU Affairs (1999-2001)
· Initiation of the operation of the European Literary Club (1997-1998)
· Initiation of the operation of the Anglo-American Stipend Fund of Jan Masaryk (1999-2000)
· Next Ten Years program (2000-2002)
· NATO Trainee Program, NATO Tour and Prague Atlantic Student Summit (2002)
· European Lycee of Four Presidents – project proposal (2003)

We definitely have something to enjoy remembering and can look at the past 13 years with pride and satisfaction. Upon this occasion we would like to thank all those who have helped us carry out successfully our assignments and projects, stood by us in difficult times, and remained our friends and supporters until today. Their assistance and encouragement are greatly appreciated. We hope to cooperate with some of them even in the future.

What are our immediate plans for the future? There is no clear answer to this question. It looks at the moment that in the next few years we shall focus on the sphere of education, helping with the establishment of new schools and improvement of the quality of education in our country. At the very beginning of the new year we plan to rename the Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise (CDFE) to The European Education Advancement Centre (EEAC). We shall remain an NGO called “public benefit association” (obecne prospesna společnost – o.p.s.), will radically reduce our staff and office facilities, and start our new consulting activities in a modest way. Our office address, email, phone and fax numbers remain the same at the moment but may change in the course of the next year. Until the new webpage is created, the old one (www.cdfe.cz) will continue to inform about our reorganization, future plans and changes.

We would like to wish you a pleasant, relaxing and joyous holiday season and much happiness, success and good health in 2004. May you find encouragement and stimulation in your achievements of the past and enough motivation, vision and courage to enter into new challenges in the future.

With best wishes,

Ladislav Venys
Director and the CDFE staff

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The Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise (CDFE) was formally opened on January 1, 1991 to serve as the Czechoslovak Representative Office of the Central Europe Institute, Washington, D.C. On June 1, 1992 CDFE was transformed into a private, non-partisan, non-profit Czech public benefit organization (O.P.S.), that conducts and organizes educational exchanges, internships, training in democratic institutions and research in market economics. CDFE has co-sponsored programs with the Phare Democracy Programme, the Ford Foundation, the Mott Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, the World Bank, the Prague University of Economics, Charles University, the Czech Ministry of Justice, the Czech and Slovak Ministries of Industry and Privatization, the Czech Parliament, USAID, USIS, the Sabre Foundation, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the Budapest School of Politics, the Freedom House Foundation, the Open Society Fund Praha, the German Marshall Fund of the United States and other foundations, private organizations and companies.

Projects

The Next Ten Years

is a project funded by the Open Society Fund Praha and the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the United States Embassy Prague. TNTY is a project which is aimed at increasing the amount of involvement the average citizen has in the political process between elections. Please visit this link for full information about The Next Ten Years (complete with pictures and contact information for all Political Meetings held in 2000-2001). Please check back with us soon for a presentation of the results of the first full year of the project. more...

The European Literary Club (ELK)

was founded by CDFE in an effort to increase the Czech connection to contemporary cultures of other European nations. The Club offers members carefully selected literature in both written and electronic form, as well as the best European music and film. Books by European authors are translated into Czech. The chosen literature, music and films follow two basic themes: "From Europe to the Czech Lands" and "From the Czech Lands to Europe". Please see this link for a listing of the 2000 publication (most in Czech with a few English publications). more...

The Parliamentary Internship Program

funded by the Renault Truck Division and other private sponsors, gives Czech university students the opportunity to work in the Senate or Chamber of Deputies as Interns. The program, now in its 6th year, offers a one-of-a-kind experieince to Czech students who want to gain a working view of the Czech political system. more...

The Sabre Foundation

CDFE recognized that one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs, students, academics and professionals after 1989 was gaining access to western books, publications, studies and other research materials. For this reason, CDFE has made it a priority to collect scholastic literature in the United States and make it available in the Czech Republic. more...

The Center for NATO Documentation and Information

was opened as an independent center for documentation on October 1, 1997. With the support of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Internship Program, it aims to improve the general public's current level of knowledge of NATO, and the implications of Czech membership in the Alliance, through the dissemination of information, organization of educational activities, and publishing material. more...

NATO Trainees

NATO Trainees Program introduces Czech university students to the structure and purpose of NATO and gives them a clear view of the role of the Czech Republic in the Alliance. more...

Other Projects

The Careers program, NGO Connection, RCR: a Project for Regional Cooperation and Reconciliation more...