ISF”DRC” is an interdisciplinary association of experts and researchers devoted to international cooperation in the field of sustainable transport and tourism on the Danube. The organisation is located in Belgrade and consists of members professionally engaged in the disciplines which are also important for the projects initiated by our partners.
Your efforts have produced marvellous results over the years that have led to fruitful partnerships between researchers, experts, local governments and NGOs. Yours is a life dedicated to service that you can be truly proud of. Your determination, patience and hard labour have brought about untold gains for life in the Danube region, which though small and silent, have led to long lasting benefits. I consider it a privilege to have one like you as my colleague.
Dr. Vera Mehta, UN Political Affairs Officer, in the letter to Edita Stojić-Karanović, the Founder of ISF “DRC”
ISF”DRC” started 1989 as a project, which in some years outgrow in an association, being registered as NGO in 1994. It is internationally recognized that the two decades long work of the ISF“DRC” directed towards the improvement of all forms of regional cooperation in the Danube Region, with focus on the close cooperation between the Danube countries in transition, was reasonable and successful, despite of unfavourable conditions for international cooperation during the 1990s.
We long for calm and peace, for human life, for an environment on a human scale. But the world, unfortunately, is moving in another direction. The money-driven economy, the financial speculative sphere has broken away from real sphere and ticking like a time bomb over the world economy.
What is the solution? Is there one at all? If there is, we must find it together. That is the reason why I appreciate very much the efforts of the colleagues of the International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” to create a scientific base for fruitful co-operation.
Professor Judit Balazs, president of the European Peace Research Association (EuPRA)
The ISF“DRC” made its way and inspired many new non-governmental organizations which are specialized in certain fields of the Danube themes. Many of the over 2000 participants promoted their ideas at the conferences, round tables and through projects of the ISF“DRC”.
The ISF“DRC” drew the attention of state authorities and organizations, at all levels, to the problems which should be solved in the area of sustainable use of natural resources in the Danube Region, especially in Serbia. Lately the climate changes got special attention in it’s activities.
The international cooperation of the ISF“DRC” is carried out through project cooperation with partners from neighbouring and other European countries, participation of representatives of international organizations such as the Council of Europe, European Agency for Reconstruction and Development, agencies of the UN, the World Tourism Organization and independent experts and scholars in the conferences of the ISF“DRC”, as well as through the membership activities of the ISF“DRC” in NGO networks, as the CEEweb for Biodiversity,the NGO Forum of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), DANUBENET for NGOs, etc…
The common problems and possibilities of development were studied in the most important areas of life, such as science, economy, culture and protection of environment.
ISF“DRC” is engaged in developing regional cooperation between the Middle Danube countries and other European countries interested in this section of the Danube, paying attention to interdisciplinary programs and projects.
Some of the successful projects of the ISF”DRC” based on or giving reason for international programs were: Institutional Capacity Building in Area of Climate Change in Serbia and Montenegro in its preparation for Future Membership in European Union with Slovak partners and involvement of financial support from Slovak Aid; The Program of Regulation of the Nautical Waterway in the Danube Region through Serbia – from which many new micro-regional, cross-border nautical projects and tourism projects were showing up; Project proposal Euroregion “Middle Danube – Iron Gate”; Belgrade Perspectives for Sustainable Development and Climate Changes, etc…
ISF“DRC” is devoted to the implementation of the EU Strategy for Danube Region (EUSDR) since the goals of the EUSDR are the same as the goals ISF“DRC” advocated for the past twenty three years. In accordance with this, ISF”DRC” joined the DANUBENET for NGOs starting to prepare partnerships in a wide circle of NGOs for projects with which it will contribute to the implementation of the Action Plan of the EUSDR.
The members are engaged in projects and conferences of the ISF”DRC” working in teams for energy use, climate changes, rural and eco-tourism, water management issues, and interdisciplinary teams for life-long education programs, lobby activities, conference and network organization, cross-border and regional cooperation, publishing activities, etc…
Concerning publishing activities, ISF”DRC” is publishing the proceedings of it’s conferences, author books of it’s members, results of it’s projects and the journal Danubius (ISSN: 2217-4826).
ISF”DRC” is financed with membership fees, donations, projects and from publishing activities. Also, members provides volunteer work for all activities except those in projects, when they are paid as consultants from the project budget.
If you are interested to take part in any of the activities of the ISF”DRC” or to cooperate with us, you are warmly welcomed! Please contact us at:
International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation”
Address: Stjepana Ljubiše 23, 145814 Beograd / Serbia
Phone: +381-11/ 2457042; Mobile: +381 (0) 63-661-897
Mail: office@danube-cooperation.com, forumdanube@yahoo.com
