1. Godebaldkwartier 74
3511 DZ Utrecht
P.O. Box 19318
3501 DH Utrecht
The Netherlands
T +31 (0) 30 233 33 46
F +31 (0) 30 236 81 99
E info@ikvpaxchristi.nl
www.ikvpaxchristi.nl
Bank 24.00.81.900
Het CBF-Keur is verstrekt aan het IKV en aan Pax Christi Nederland.
Utrecht, February 23, 2010
Ref: Recommendation for Vera Dormans
Dear Sir/Madam,
This letter is in reference to the excellent qualifications of Vera Dormans. She has been an
outstanding intern and volunteer at Dutch peace organisation IKV Pax Christi in the period of
September 2009 until and including January 2010. During her internship Vera was based in IKV Pax
Christi’s South-East Europe Team. She has made professional contributions to a couple of Southeast
Europe-related projects: the BalkanBorrel, the Our Future Network exchange programme, and the
transitional justice programme.
Regarding the former, the BalkanBorrel is an opportunity for young people, who work in and around
the Western Balkans, to get in touch witch each other and with professionals to stay up to date about
recent political and social development in the area. The BalkanBorrel focuses on countries and topics
in/with which IKV Pax Christi and her partners are active (Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia). Each
BalkanBorrel consists of guest lectures/presentations or a debate with a network café at the end. Vera
has co-organised three consecutive BalkanBorrels, on interreligious dialogue in Macedonia in October
2009, on the situation in the enclaves in Kosovo in November 2009 and on the two-year independence
of Kosovo in February 2010 (initial preparations). She was directly involved in inviting guest speakers
and setting up the evenings’ programmes. She also coordinated the external volunteers of the
BalkanBorrel and was in charge of logistics and practical organization of each evening.
Regarding the second project, “Our Future Network” is an exchange programme that connects
students from Serbia, Kosovo and The Netherlands. In order to initiate grassroots-level dialogue
between Serbia and Kosovo and to spread awareness regarding European integration, IKV Pax
Christi and its local partners yearly organize three study visits, to Kosovo, Serbia, The Netherlands
and Brussels. A selected group of 15 Kosovo Albanian, Serb and Dutch students take part.
Vera was involved in the preparation of the one-week study visit to the Netherlands and Brussels that
took place mid-October. For example she helped out with the compilation of an information booklet for
students’ preparation and the reader. She also took part in the practical organisation of the visit.
Regarding the third programme, transitional justice, Vera has performed adequate desk-research on
transitional justice, by analyzing European Commission progress reports and other reports. She has
also compiled a list of Dutch organizations working in the field of transitional justice in the Netherlands.
IKV Pax Christi has gotten to know Vera in the past year as a hard-working person, who learns fast
and who has a talent as a social connector. She can inspire others with her enthusiasm. Vera has
excellent coordinating and organisation skills and can keep several balls in the air at the same time.
She works very well in a team. She also has academic writing skills and good analytical insight. Her
personal commitment to and interest in politics and peacebuilding is also evident.
We recommend Vera to you without qualification. She has all the qualities for a fruitful career in the
(international) governance sector or the development and social sector.
Yours sincerely,
Linda Schevers
Programme officer for Southeast Europe
IKV Pax Christi