Introducing FoRS

FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Co-operation - is a platform of Czech non-governmental non-profit organisations (NGOs) and other non-profit subjects, involved in development cooperation, development education and humanitarian assistance.

FoRS was founded by 15 NGOs in September 2002 and legally registered as an association of legal entities in October 2002. By the beginning of 2009, FoRS already represented 29 member organisations and 17 observers - among those are NGOs, foundations, international organisations, universities and others.

FoRS organisations share the common interest of pursuing more relevance and effectiveness of both Czech and international development cooperation and enhancing its positive impact on people living in developing and transforming countries. The main task of FoRS is to represent the common interest of its members and to strengthen the relations and cooperation between the state administration in the Czech Republic, the European Union, and non-governmental organisations in the field of development cooperation.

In 2003, FoRS was one of the founding members of CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development (www.concordeurope.org). CONCORD is an umbrella association of national platforms and networks of NGOs from the EU Member States that represent all together over 1600 NGOs. CONCORD regularly engages in dialogue with the European institutions, and FoRS can defend the interests of Czech NGOs at the European level by means of active participation in CONCORD.