Co-funded by the European Union
AWARD for the best achievements in cooperation in South East Europe
Nominations are closed.
The Champion of Regional Cooperation, is an annual award inaugurated by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in February 2013 marking the RCC’s 5th anniversary. The Award is presented to an individual or organisation that has contributed notably to advancing regional cooperation in South East Europe, guided by European values and principles.
o In 2022, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria (BMEIA), we changed the title to Champion of Regional Cooperation Dr Erhard Busek Award, honouring posthumously Mr Busek who was the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, the RCC’s predecessor, a staunch supporter of the Western Balkans and avid advocate of the region’s integration into the European Union.
The RCC and the BMEIA welcome nominations for individuals or organizations from the region who fit the criteria listed below:
- They and their work are based in South East Europe;
- Their work or activities are cross-border and/or have a regional reach or outlook;
- Their work demonstrably contributes to one or more of the following:
- regional cooperation;
- regional development;
- EU integration of the region;
- promotion of the region;
- socio-economic inclusivity in the region;
- any other form of tangible and sustainable benefit to the region;
- Their work or activities reflect the fundamental values of human rights, fairness, transparency, and equal treatment.
Individuals or groups representing and/or working with/for minorities, women, youth or vulnerable groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
Individuals or organizations nominated for the award should not be affiliated to or financed by political parties or distinct political groups. They and their work should reflect an independence removed from personal, private or political interests.
Governmental or international institutions, including their employees, are not eligible.
The Evaluation Committee comprising a representative of the RCC and the BMEIA will conduct the preselection of the received applications. An independent jury will then decide the awardee based on the Evaluation Committee’s preselection. Nomination applications should include:
- The name of the individual or organisation nominated for the award;
- A description of their activities, including substantive and geographical scope (up to 300 words);
- Evidence of tangible contribution to regional cooperation.
Nomination can be submitted by the nominees themselves or on their behalf by a third party. Anyone is eligible to nominate.
Applications should be submitted through RCC website by 17 May 2023.
Goran Svilanovic
International consultant at Network of Associations for Local Economic Development
Asja Krsmanovic
Competition Programme Manager at Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF)
Umut Ergezer
Coordinator of the SEE 2030 Strategy/Senior Economic Policy Analyst
- Financial reward in the amount 5.000 Euro awarded at the award ceremony held back-to-back with the RCC Annual Meeting
- Increased visibility of the work and contribution of the awardee, making their efforts better noted and thus more relevant
The Nomination process is open until 17 May 2023.
The awardee must be present at the award ceremony to receive the award.
The decisions of the Evaluation Committee and the independent jury will be final and binding.
The award may not be transferred to another person or organization.
The RCC and the BMEIA reserve the right to use the name and image of the awardee for publicity and promotional purposes.
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Former Secretary Generals
Hido Biscevic
2008-2012
Hido Biščević served as the first Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council since 1 January 2008 until 31 December 2012, following the appointment by the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Foreign Ministers in Zagreb on 10 May 2007. He was reappointed to the post on 22 June 2010 at the Istanbul meeting of the SEECP Foreign Ministers.
A Croatian diplomat, Mr Biščević previously served as the State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia (2003-2007), Ambassador to the Russian Federation (1997-2002), Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs (1995-1997), Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, accredited to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Uzbekistan (1993-1995), Ambassador and Adviser to the Foreign Minister (1992), and Head of Department for Asian and Arab Countries (1992).
Before joining the diplomatic service, Mr Biščević was the Editor-in-Chief of the Vjesnik daily (1990-1992) and Foreign Affairs Editor at the same newspaper (1985-1989).
As the SEECP Coordinator during the Croatian Chairmanship-in-Office in 2006/2007, Mr Biščević actively participated in bilateral and multilateral forums in South East Europe and intensively cooperated with the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.
He took an active part in international conferences on the Bosnia and Herzegovina Peace Accord in 1994/95.
Mr Biščević served as foreign affairs correspondent, columnist, journalist and diplomat with assignments and wide experience in European affairs, South East European issues and relations, Euro-Asian relations, international security and Euro-Atlantic cooperation. As a journalist, observer, envoy and diplomat, he participated in numerous international conferences and events.
Mr Biščević is author or co-author of several books, including, EU for YOU - Functioning of the EU (Croatian Edition 2006, with Wolfgang Böhm and Otmar Lahodynsky), Strategy of Chaos, on the roots of dissolution of the former Yugoslavia (1988), In the Name of Allah, on the Iranian Islamic revolution (1982), Blood On the Water, on the Iraq-Iran war (1988), Time of Decision - A Palestinian Issue (1989), as well as of numerous articles and political essays on international security and cooperation. He is also author of the book Postcards from Anxiety, a collection of essays and memorabilia from his diplomatic career and meetings with world leaders.
Mr Biščević graduated in International Politics and Journalism at the Faculty of Political Science in Zagreb, Croatia. He is fluent in English and Russian. Mr Biščević was born on 18 September 1951, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has two daughters.
Goran Svilanovic
2013-2018
Goran Svilanović served as the second Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2018, following the appointment by the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Foreign Ministers in Belgrade on 14 June 2012.
A Serbian diplomat and politician, he previously served as Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (2008-2012). In November 2004, he became Chairman of Working Table I (democratization and human rights) of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, where he served until the end of 2007. He was member of the Senior Review Group of the Stability Pact, which proposed the transformation of the Stability Pact into the Regional Co-operation Council.
From 2000 to 2004, Mr Svilanović was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was renamed to Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. Between 2000 and 2007, he was a Member of Parliament. He was President of the Civic Alliance of Serbia political party (1999-2004).
With Ph.D. from the Union University in Belgrade, Masters and undergraduate law degrees from the University of Belgrade, Mr Svilanovic has also studied at the Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, the University of Saarland in Germany, and the European University Center for Peace Studies in Staadtschlaining, Austria.
Mr Svilanovic has worked with a number of organizations and committees, such as the Centre for Antiwar Action (1995-1999), the International Commission on the Balkans (2004-2006) and the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights (2007-2008). Since 2008, Mr Svilanovic has been Assistant Professor of Law at Union University in Belgrade.
Goran Svilanović speaks Serbian and English. He was born on 22 October 1963. He is married and has two children.