Ostsee-Forum

Foundation of the Baltic Sea Forum in August 2021, Leading District D 1900

STRUCTURE
Discussion platform for geographically neighboring Intercountry Committees and Contact Points of the Baltic Sea countries with the involvement of experts

Members :

• Chairpersons of the Intercountry Committees Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
• Heads of the Contact Point Denmark, Norway/Sweden,
• Experts (currently 9) from all socially relevant areas,
• Chairwoman: PP Birgit Osterwald, RC Gütersloh-Verl, D 1900

Working method :

• Three annual meetings in plenary as face-to-face and/or zoom meetings,
• Thematic and project-related meetings in working groups,
• Documentation of work results and state of affairs through minutes and newsletters,
• Changing venues with country-specific events of the member states.

OBJECTIVES

• Key objective : Vitalization of cross-border and interactive Rotarian dialogue as well as initiation and support of joint, high-impact projects and encounters
• Communicative goals : Intensification of communication between the ICC sections, transfer of information from the forum work to the districts and clubs, maintenance of a website
• Structural goals : Further development of the CPs into ICCs , Perspective: Integration of the Russian Federation into the community of the  Baltic Sea Forum with Kaliningrad/Königsberg Oblast and the St. Petersburg region
• Content-related and thematic objectives: Promotion of club partnerships, active assistance in Ukraine and for Ukrainians who have fled to neighbouring countries, Support for projects for refugees from Belarus, focus on the culture of exchange with young people. 

CURRENT PROJECTS in 2024

• Further development of the Danish contact point into a country committee
• Establishment of an independent Swedish contact point with the prospect of founding an ICC
• Vocational exchange with the vocational school in Tartu/Estonia
• Visit of the Estonian ICC section in Bielefeld and Berlin
• Visit to the Baltic Sea Forum and working meetings in Gdansk
• Trip through the Baltic States
• International youth sailing camp in Masuria
• Participation in the European Summit in Bonn
• German-Polish motorcycle fellowship
• Participation in the German-Polish country meeting of the ICC Poland
• Participation in the Lithuanian “Rotariade” in Palanga
• Intercultural youth project at the international meeting place in Kreisau, Poland
  and support for the work of the Rotarian Circle of Friends for the New Kreisau e.V.
• Continuous aid shipments to Ukraine from the member countries of the Baltic Sea Forum
• Various support projects for Ukrainian refugees and participation in the task force of the German Council of Governors

OPPORTUNITIES

The Baltic Sea Forum offers all interested Rotarians – whether as individuals or as a club – comprehensive exchange of discussions and up-to-date information about the Baltic Sea countries, supports initiatives of transnational meetings and projects in various Rotarian formats to promote international understanding, friendship and peace. 

The merger into a forum working synergistically and dialogically increases the effectiveness of the Rotarian community of values – especially in times of increasing conflict – in its responsibility for humanitarian assistance, solidarity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.