1.1 OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION CENTER is a Greek non-profit, Non-Governmental Autonomous Organization established by a group of people based in the EU. EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE plans and implements integrated activities with the objective to promote sustainable development, provide humanitarian and emergency assistance and contribute towards the establishment of democratic institutions in the developing countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Ex-Soviet Union, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.



1.2 BASIC VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE believes in:

• Social justice, equity and respect for human rights;
• The participation of the populations for whom we are working;
  
• The involvement of civil society in development cooperation and humanitarian assistance;
  
• Service to our partners working for their interests.
  
• In all actions, EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE seek to demonstrate its commitment to people in need and to promote their belief that human development is a fundamental right.
  
• In its actions EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE has regular consultation with its partners, both in developed and developing countries, in order to reflect fully their various needs in the implemented projects.
  
• EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE seeks to maximize the development and social impact of its operations.
  
• EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE works as much as possible hand in hand with its partners NGOs in the field in order to strengthen their capacity to promote human development.
• The organization's income may come from Greek or foreign individuals, private profit entities, public entities, governments in developed countries through development cooperation funds, international organizations such as the EU, the UN as well as other non-governmental organizations. The organization's income and expenditure is publicly accountable and transparent. The actions of EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE are completely independent from the private and /or private donors, looking forward to satisfy the real needs of the people and the population in danger.
  
• The actions of EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age disability, physical disability, mental disability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

1.3 AREAS OF ACTIVITY

The areas of activities of EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE are the following:

• Emergency aid
• Food aid for development and urgent purposes
• Reconstruction actions
• Rehabilitation actions
• Social Services especially in the fields of employment, housing, social welfare, culture and reformation
• Education
• Health actions
• Population policy programs
• Water, Sanitation and disinfecting supply
• Administration and civil society
• Economic sub-structure
• Production Sectors
• General environmental protection
• Women participation
• Aid to immigrants and emigrants
• Support to non-governmental Organizations
• Capacity-building
• Actions in favor of democracy
• Human Rights protection
• Actions in favor of handicapped people

1.4 OPERATIONAL FIELDS

The above-mentioned activities are realized through the following actions:

• Emergency humanitarian and food aid actions for developing countries and, in general, for any area on the planet needing aid;
• Human rights promotion and protection and democratization enhancement actions in developing countries;
• Rehabilitation and reconstruction actions;
• Actions aiming at the planet's sustainable and viable development, at the environmental and developmental education, training and updating, with the participation of the local institutions, in order to achieve the objective of the information and sensitization of the citizens as well as the government institutions in regard with environmental and development matters;
• Actions aiming at the incorporation of the less favored social groups and classes (unemployed, youth, women, persons released from prisons, ethnic, religious or other minorities etc.) in the productive process and at the improvement of the conditions leading to their smooth admission in the labour market;
• Development aid actions and development programs aiming at the economic and social development of these countries, while promoting at the same time their cultural development;
• Development education and awareness activities through planning and holding of conferences, meetings, publications, vocational training and vocational guidance and information programs.

1.5. MANAGEMENT

1.5.1. The structure
The governing body of EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE is the General Assembly which in accordance with the statutes meets once per year and whenever needed in urgent cases. The General Assembly approves the yearly budget, sets general policy lines and targets for implementation. The General Assembly is being represented by the Board of Directors, which consists of the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director as well as their substitutes. The Board of Directors ensures the execution of the policies and targets set by the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee implements the actions undertaken by the organization, under the monitoring of the Board of Directors.
The Executive Committee consists of the following persons:

• The Head of the Executive Committee who is also in charge of the Administrative Department;
• The Head of the Financial Department;
• The Head of Operations Department;
• The Head of the Planning, Development and Networking Department

Within the framework of the Operation Department the permanent offices and the local partnerships with NGOs and local authorities are also included. For the accomplishment of its objectives EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE establishes permanent offices in selected developing countries. Additionally, EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE establishes strategic partnerships with local NGO partners and authorities in selected developing countries.

1.5.2. Operational methodology
The design, implementation and evaluation of projects entails a grassroots, bottom-up, democratic and decentralized process in which different actors and elements are involved, fully compatible with the values, principles and purposes of EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE. Local partners are actively involved in all phases of the project and actions design, implementation and evaluation.

EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE has established networking links with different partners around the world. In this way EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE increases the quality of its action through the exchange of experience, information and ideas with other partners. EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE is a full member of:

• The Greek National Platform of NGOs;
• The EU-NGO Liaison Committee;
• International Coalition for Development Action

EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE is also a EUROPEAN COMMISSION HUMANITARIAN OFFICE partner.
A User Guide is also developed which aims at the presentation in a simple and educational way of the procedures and the modalities to be followed in the implementation of the actions undertaken by EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE. This also ensures the quality and quantity control of the activities and the actions undertaken. The user guide is also available in INTERNET. The communication between the headquarters and the field offices is realized through INTERNET NET-MEETING.