Mrs. Helena Ganicka, EEA and Norway Grants Officer, Norwegian Embassy in Prague
Helena has worked with the EEA and Norway Grants at the Embassy in Prague for more than seven years. The role of the Embassy is to promote the Grants both in the Czech Republic and in Norway, facilitate bilateral cooperation between Czech and Norwegian entities and to be an observer and adviser in the organisational and administrative procedures.
1. Tips for organizing a successful
press and expert trip to Norway
Helena Ganická
Norwegian Embassy in Prague
2. Trips as a communication tool
Embassy’s Communication Plan
Priority areas:
- human rights
- democracy and transparency
- bilateral cooperation
Goals of the trips:
- Norway and Norway Grants in media
- new contacts and experience
→ follow up
- new Norwegian ambassadors
3. Preparation, organization,
evaluation
before the trip during the trip after the trip
● areas and goals
● funding
● partners (experts)
● participants
● programme
● financing
● practicalities
● promotion
● coordination
● interpretation
● information
● pictures
● promotion
● evaluation
● reports
● promotion
● media monitoring
● follow up activities
● stay in touch
4. Trips in 2012
Gender equality
Gender equality
eeagrants.com
enpi-info.eu
Norway and the EU / EEA
5. Trips in 2014
Academy of Science, Prague
Forskningsradet.no
Research
and
Innovation
Civil society
Aftenposten.no
Introduction:
organizing press- and expert trips is an important tool used by the embassies to communicate the grants and strengthen bilateral relations
aim: to introduce the concept of the trips to those who are not so familiar with it and present examples of trips organized by the Embassy in Prague, including the practical issues, content, results, follow up and challenges
How does the embassy promote the Norway Grants?
own communication plan and budget: topics, communication goals and target groups, activities, time, budget
overall target: promote Norway as an engaged and reliable partner for the Czech Republic within areas representing important European values, where Norway has well-established expertise, know-how and credibility
EEA Grants as a tool or just door opener or reference
Priority areas:
human rights: gender equality and minorities (Roma)
democracy and transparency: civil society, anti-corruption, engagement of young people
bilateral cooperation, spec. within research and education
Goals of the trips:
promote Norway, Norwegian values and the Grants in media
facilitate new contacts, open possibilities for project cooperation
get new ambassadors of Norway through authentic and personal experience
Before the trip:
identify the areas and the goals - choose topics linked to the embassy’s priority areas or to bilateral fund at national level
apply for funding from the MFA (communication plan)
prepare the concept of the trip in cooperation with experts in CZ and Norway
identify the participants (include journalists, experts and decision makers)
prepare the programme in cooperation with them (preparatory meetings)
agree on the financial issues - embassy usually covers the travel and accommodation expenses, but never requires any services in return (journalists can write whatever they want, or they do not have to write anything)
promotion: articles on social media, press conference, media
Under the trip:
- guide: coordination, interpretation, providing additional information, taking pictures
- promotion: reportages, social media
After the trip:
evaluation meetings, promotion (own communication channels), media monitoring, follow up projects and activities, stay in contact (invite the participants to events, sending news and updates, reminders on the open calls etc.)
before: trips coordinated by MFA on different political or cultural issues
2012
PILOT for a trip directly connected to an EEA and Norway Grants topic: Gender equality / work life balance - in cooperation with KS, Embassy in Budapest and Embassy in Slovenia, goal: show some aspects of GE in Norway (quotas 2003, women with immigrant background, kindergartens) and connect them to the EEA and Norway grants and the gender equality programme, result: 1 big article and participation at a round-table debate, possible follow up in 2015
Norway and EU / EEA Agreement / Energy (on the occasion of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU) - 2 Czech journalists, in cooperation with MFA and Embassy in Budapest, goal: prote Norway’s positive role in the EU, result:6 articles
2013
PILOT: include experts and guide from the embassy - Research and Innovation (on the occasion of Innovation Norway’s Focus on Business seminar), in cooperation with IN + visit to UiO, Inven2 (technical transfer centre), Centres of Exellec Oslo University hospital, 2 researchers and 1 journalists, goal: exchange of expertise within commercialization of research, promote Norwegian research milieu and the Research Fund, results: 1 article + in 2014 - bilateral Czech-Norwegian seminar + expert round table on the topic research and innovation - organization and financing - inspiration for the Czech research reform (under preparation)
civil society (organization, financing, role in the society - anti-corruption) / student election - involvement of young people in democratic processes - in cooperation with KS and Norwegian Helsinki Committee, on the occasion of school election before the Storting election (timing - election in CZ in October) and the anticorruption network meeting (TI+KS), 4 experts, 1 journalist, 1 politician, 1 guide, Results: 3 articles, 5 projects supported from the NGO-fund, development of the school election in CZ - debates, follow up - Gratias Tibi prize, participation of TI representative at the seminar in Czech Senate on transparency, student town council in Opava, other events. challenge: size of the group and different interests / topics
2014
Press trip to Svalbard and Tromsø - on the occasion of the opening of the Czech Research Centre at Svalbard. Goal: promote the Czech-Norwegian research cooperation and the EEA and Norway Grants, participants: 2 tv teams, Czech Radio, Respekt + guide, official programme + individual interviews and visits (i.e. Polar institute + AMV - GBV), results: several articles, TV- and radio reportages, 1 supported project, challenge: focus on the EEA and Norway Grants, avoid misinterpretation
Gratias Tibi - project of the NGO People in Need - 1st year of the prize for young people who have positively contributed to the public life in their communities or in the whole society, big media attention, Embassy as main partner - study trip to Norway, goal: promote Norwegian values (civil society, engagement of young people, social inclusion, student election,) and the EEA and Norway Grants, establish new contacts. Participants: 6 winners, 1 coordinator, 1 teacher, guide. Programme: inclusive school, youth centre ORKIS, miniTinget, meeting with young politicians. Result: reportages at Czech TV and Radio, TV Predlice, articles in local media. projects. GT 2015. Challenge: embassy alone responsible for the programme, different interests, size of the group, link to the Grants
2015: Gratias Tibi, financing of political parties, gender based violence
possibilities for cooperation?