EDS HAS LEGS

Economic Diplomacy Seminar Has Legs
Justin Kagin

EDS had its second year and it was fantastic. This year we had two weeks instead of 9 days and it was fully utilized. The increased time allowed us to grow deeper in our relationships in our small groups and in daily conversations and interactions, to include more speakers and experiment more with the format. We had over 50 participants, team members and speakers coming from 9 countries including most of the nations in the region, the UK, and the Ukraine. I must say that the EDS this year grew from last year, from crawling to standing up it is truly taking form.

We added a few things this year, including partnering with the Trinity Forum, a Christ centred academy, taking shortened versions of two of their curricula. We had a food experiment that taught about hunger in the world. Visited a larger cooperative farm and repeating the expert forum in Zagreb at the Arcotel Hotel. We had more sharing of visions and personal achievements in EDS on the principles of Jesus. We bonded through campfires and evening entertainments and a dialogue café (talking about inter-ethnic friendships). Workshops were also highly effective teaching us through interactions about Public Relations, Entrepreneurship, Communications, Finance and Leadership, with speakers donating a lot of their time to work with us in and outside of their allotted times, even joining us at the ROM café for evening fun and more interaction with participants.

In fact, Speakers were truly exceptional this year. We had repeating speakers from last year who enjoyed the first EDS and decided to support it this year yet again: Lynn Dennehy from the US spoke to us about finance and the word of God and Mats Tunehag who came again from Sweden to share about starting Transformational Businesses that do not just exist to just make profit but to transform peoples lives and the society around them. New speakers as well joined us including Richard Werner, a professor from Southampton University in England who shared about Banking and how it is done (a real eye opener); Robert Maricak, an entrepreneur and CEO from Croatia, who shared how he does business without being involved in any corruption; Jack Fallow came from Britain to share about qualities of a manager and a shortened version of the Trinity Forum’s curricula Entrepreneurship of Life and Doing Well and Doing Good; Milenko Durić, a professor from Serbia who gave much insight on ethics in the field of Public relations; Todd Becker from the US who shared about different economic diplomacy models 1. Competitive 2. Imposed 3. Cooperative-from US; Nolan Sharp from the US/Croatia who shared about Understanding Relationships and explained psychological profiles; Robert Milcev who oversees a foundation in Macedonia and shared about team work and the work of Boris Trajkovski; Tihomir Kukolja taught us about servant leadership according to Jesus; And Boryana from Bulgaria, who necessarily linked business to law and the EU. Each modelled what Jesus said: Love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and Love your neighbour as yourself! And each applied this to their callings even to the fields economics, business, and economic relations between nations and ethic groups.

I am truly pleased, impressed and thankful. The leadership team was fabulous, taken from Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and the US, they were excellent servants and teachers, each one uniquely adding their talents to form EDS. I am especially pleased with the people who returned from last year feeling as if this was a worthwhile vision to contribute to and expand. Thank you again to all of you, I can honestly say it was a joint effort.

We put in our all for these two weeks, including the participants who were active in taking the information, applying it to their visions, and extensively participating in every activity so that by the end they were leaders in their own right. I am excited especially about the inter-ethnic friendships through economics, through Jesus and this seminar. Truly unity was formed, friendships were made, and I hope that they will continue even in their communities. In fact this was a definite highlight for me, strengthening relationships through the region and making these bonds strong, and meeting new people who you just know will be leaders and make a positive difference in their nation and the world.

And not to be cheesy or cliché but I am thankful to God, because He put in a big effort as well to make this happen. To keeping Jesus at the centre of our hearts and EDS, by bringing encouraging donors, by creating the vision and putting all his effort and work into making this happen. He deserves thanks as well.

And thank you very much to all of you, EDS is truly real now, not just a vision in our minds or something on paper. But it has stood the test of two full weeks, almost 100 participants in all (50 each year), representing most countries in this region and even beyond and now it is two years running. It has stood on its legs.

As a last report, I am looking forward to my friend Milan Pavlović from Serbia, the fellow founder of EDS who will be co-directing and co-partnering on EDS’s continued growth. Hope you all are well, Thank you again.

Many Blessings.

Justin Kagin
EDS Director
Fuzine, Croatia, 24th July 2007.

Called to Keep the Bonds of Peace

The EDS 2007 closing message delivered by Justin Kagin, EDS Director at the EDS Banquet on Saturday, 14th July 2007.

Psalm 133
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

I would like to talk a bit about some brothers of mine. Let me talk a little about Siniša. This is a man who came one month after he was married to spend two weeks here supporting EDS, supporting me. Sandra and he have not even had their honeymoon yet. He is truly a good friend and more than that he is a brother. Also, he adamantly refused to play the guitar even from the beginning, he said, “Justin I will come but I will not play the guitar” because he knew how much work it would be and he was just not able because of the wedding and many other things in his life, but when he came and saw that we needed someone, he agreed to do it, in fact he devoted 100 percent. He has truly been there for me, by my side as a brother and in unity. And he has helped me so deeply, getting rid of terrible fears, fears that are so overwhelming for me, paralyzing fears, and he probably does not realize how much he has helped me.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Milan is another brother, he is so patient and humble, and he quietly listens and quietly waits. He is very sensitive and sincere. And he has always been loyal in the vision working as co-partners on it even when he did not receive the honor or recognition. He is my brother.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

And I could talk more about Tihomir, a great mentor, friend and brother, about Aleks who I walk and talk with, about Marko who has always been there, about sisters like Hilary, Brajna, Tea, Mihaela, perhaps about everyone on the leadership team and even the participants I have met, Mladen, Igballe, Alma, Albiona, Adina, Sanja and others.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity!

It is such a precious thing. I remember the former foreign minister of Serbia talking about the name Balkan, he said it meant honey and blood. Why is there conflict here? Why is there so much blood and so little honey? Why so often do we never see the precious oil running down Aaron’s beard, the beautiful dew on mount Hermund. Because our brothers are not in unity. Our brothers are in conflict. Our brothers are fighting with each other, they are in tears. Our brothers are not listening not trying to understand.

But now here we are in unity. In this place we are in unity. In this place we are one. In this place we are one with Jesus. One with the father, the Holy Spirit. My brothers and sisters and I are one, we are striving for the same goal. We are loving each other the best we can, we are one.

There is a great movie called “Remember the Titans” about racial reconciliation during the 60’s in the US. It uses the vehicle of American football to show whites and blacks making friendship across ethic barriers. Well at the football camp before the season starts they achieve this precious unity. Rooming with one another. Singing with one another. Playing football with each other, carrying each other. Just like what we are doing right now. Just like what we have achieved with God during these two weeks.

But then what happens? When they return home, they start to fall apart, the prejudices and pressures of their families, of their friends, of their community, starts to pull them apart. After awhile it seems that all the unity they have built during those weeks at the camp will fall apart when they get home.

Obviously, I am making a parallel. Okay, we have unity now, we have loved, we have sung together, some of us have cried together, we have built projects in economics together, small groups have bonded.

But what about when we get home? What will happen then? Will we keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, or will we fold and fall under the pressures of our family, daily living, and our community? Will all these resources and efforts ultimately be worth nothing. The movie ended well, a Hollywood ending, racial reconciliation even in the entire community was achieved.

But what about reality? Will we make this reconciliation happen here in the Balkans? Are we willing to try to understand one another? Are we willing to listen even when the winds are trying to blow us down? Even when we are different trees swayed by words in different directions. Even when some of us have rocks and will not budge. With our different soils can we truly live together?

Are we willing to keep those bonds of peace? And what is our reward? Why is it ultimately worthwhile? Well I know, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity! I have experienced it here. How wonderful it is to dwell on that mountain of peace and have oil poured out on our heads. . . For there, upon that mountain, the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Justin Kagin, EDS Director, 14/07/2007

This is How the Vision Came About

Message delivered at the Economic Diplomacy Seminar 2007 by Milan Pavlovic, from Zrenjanin, Serbia, co-founder of Economic Diplomacy Seminar:

Attending ROM three years ago, in 2004, and spending a wonderful three weeks here at Hope house, feeling the synergy between the participants and the spirit of reconciliation founded upon sincere communication and the unselfish care of people here gave me the hope that change in this region is possible.

But there is something very interesting about change. Change doesn't happen just like that. It doesn't come from nothing. A process exists for the creation of change, and that process is highly determined by people. We have learnt up until now that the process of change starts with the respect we express towards another person; and the dignity with which we treat other people, the acceptance with which we embrace others regardless of their nationality, race or ethnic group.

Living in the Balkans I have discovered how many people are ready to speak out about change, but how few are actually willing to invest their energy, time and effort into the act of service through which we bring about change as a final result of that process.

The Economic Diplomacy Project was born of thinking and feeling about how many wonderful things in this region, and each country within the region, have not been accomplished - in terms of improvement in different areas - due to lack of cooperation in the 90's and the conflicts going on.

In July 2004, the year I attended ROM, I was very much influenced by what I saw: how much this region desperately needs in order to make the environment fertile for economic growth, progress and development missed out on as a result of war - missed out on because of lack of understanding and cooperation - especially the lack of readiness to centre efforts around the common things that people from this region have, and have a lot of; missed out on because of the spirit of conflict and selfishness destroying the ability of the region to move forward and work successfully on challenges and new economic trends appearing at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries.

And seeing these missed chances and opportunities, I felt, and the idea came to me, how excellent and wonderful it would be to gather young people from all over the region and to provide them with an opportunity to learn together. Firstly, to speak with each other, to communicate, and to learn from each others' experiences, to get to know each other and each others cultures, and to exchange ideas, attitudes, thoughts, to be open so as to be able to live and grow together as future leaders united in cooperation through this vision of creating a better future for this region.

This is why we have all been here for the last ten days and this is why we all are here today.

Because of the vision and the idea of young people gathering around economic issues, creating a place for them to speak about economy and business from an aspect of integrity, honesty, unselfishness, respect and acceptance – known as the principles of Jesus Christ - and together becoming a powerful force working for a better future for the Balkan peoples and South Eastern Europe.

And this is how the vision came about: sharing the vision with Justin, we prayed for it and were impressed that such an initiative should happen. We involved Tihomir, Dražen - whom you had a chance to meet in Zagreb - and other friends present here in the hope that, together with you, we could empower this vision to develop and bring forth fruits, now and in the future - fruits that would be grateful and valuable to all of us, fruits that would be shared, because we are all in need of them!

We see corruption in the government - corruption that prevents young people from gaining access to opportunities for starting businesses or getting the jobs they deserve. We see businesses that are solely manager-driven without functioning supervisory boards, fast money schemes without long term planning, lack of finance or funding opportunities for new startup businesses, difficulties obtaining information on funding and support, hopelessness among the young people and even abject poverty among some ethnic and refugee groups.

With this in mind, the Economic Diplomacy Project has set out its goals: fighting corruption, unemployment and bringing down the number of young people leaving the region, facilitating peace and conflict resolution through economics and by establishing visions of economic growth and alleviation of poverty in the Balkans.

And as you can see, this seminar brings together fields within economics and business and politics, the teachings of Jesus Christ, facilitation of peace, conflict resolution, ethics, diplomacy, rural development, psychology and other related areas. We hope to see the results: young people energized by, and equipped with, friendship and a vision that will help them start up projects based on good economics, based on integrity, honesty and other principles mentioned over the past ten days.

I want to tell you a story; a true story that happened in Norway. I had the opportunity to live in Norway for one year spending seven months in Oslo. On one occasion, a friend of mine asked me to visit him. As we approached his apartment he said to me, “Look at this!” I turned my head and saw a group of children playing together. They were children of Israelite and Palestinian families, and they were playing together. And their mothers were there, talking with each other, and it seemed to me that they were obviously having a very good time together. I stood there and watched them for almost two minutes because I knew that such thing can rarely be seen elsewhere - and never in their national environments. Just imagine how many great opportunities for cooperation, progress and development they are missing out on in their homelands.

We have that chance now, by leaving the past behind us. I want to support what Tihomir said last night; that we need each other, and only by working together and in agreement can we, as a new generation, bring a better future to the Balkan region and South Eastern Europe. I want to encourage all of us, that we are not alone. When you go back to where you have come from, remember what you have learnt here, what you have become equipped with, and be bearers of change. Because you should feel that you are a part of a family the goal of which is a better future for all of us, for this Balkan region and South Eastern Europe.

EDS 2007 - Closing Message

Justin's Closing Message at the Economic Diplomacy Seminar 2007, Saturday July 14, 2007.

EDS 2007 Photo Feature - More

EDS 2007 Photo Feature - More

EDS 2007 Photo Feature

EDS 2007 Photo Feature

EDS 2007 Speakers Profiles

Robert (Todd) Becker is a retired career diplomat from the United States with forty years international experience. His work has been concentrated in Germany and in the Balkans, most recently in Croatia where he has served for the past five and a half years as the Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission. Todd is an Episcopalian from birth. He has been active as a lay leader in the church since the mid 1970's. He is a licensed "Reader" (sub deacon) of the Church of England. He was in charge of the sub-chaplaincy of the Church of England in Kifissia (Athens), Greece for two years and has led the Anglican-Episcopal congregation in Zagreb for over five years. Todd and his wife Christa have five children and eight grandchildren in the United States. In Zagreb their "family" consists of seven dogs adopted from the streets of Athens and Zagreb. They share a passion for travel, music, gardening, photography and working to improve the situation of individuals who need a "little extra boost" to make their way in life.

Robert Milcev, Executive Director of the Boris Trajkovski International Foundation, Skopje, Macedonia.

Milenko D. Djuric, M.A is senior Public Relations consultant and member of Public Relations Consulting Group based in Belgrade, Serbia. Mr. Djuric has served as public relations consultant and lobbyist to many Serbian and international clients. With more than 20 years of professional experience he is an expert in the field of marketing and market research, communication strategies and crisis management. He acquired broad international experience in PR consulting practice while working on international PR projects with PR agencies in Washington D.C., New York, San Diego, London, Frankfurt, Berlin and Milan. Mr. Djuric is the author of: "Public Relations – The Key to a Successful Appearance on the Market ", published by MRI, Belgrade in 1992; and co-author of "Public Relations and Communication Management in Europe", published by Mouton de Gruyter, New York in 2004. He is a founder member and president of Public Relations Society of Serbia - PRSSE.

Nolan Sharp, Life Quality, Zagreb, Croatia.