Civic Alliance Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Civic Alliance Foundation is a Romania
n non-governmental organization
(NGO). It is one of the largest Romanian NGOs, working for the consolidation of a civil society
in the aftermath of the 42-year long communist regime
. The AC has subsidiaries in 36 of the 41 counties
, overseen by a 27-member National Council. Its motto is Nu putem reuşi decât împreună ("Only together can we succeed").
s from all fields of public life) signed a project-statement, it was officially registered on November 29 of the same year. During the early 1990s, the association was involved in protests against the ruling National Salvation Front, including the Golaniad
public gathering that were ended by the June 1990 Mineriad
. In July 1991, a sizeable portion of its members, led by Nicolae Manolescu
, split with the AC over participation in national elections, and founded the Civic Alliance Party.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO). It is one of the largest Romanian NGOs, working for the consolidation of a civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
in the aftermath of the 42-year long communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
. The AC has subsidiaries in 36 of the 41 counties
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
, overseen by a 27-member National Council. Its motto is Nu putem reuşi decât împreună ("Only together can we succeed").
History
Founded on November 6, 1990, when a group of 216 founding members (Romanian intellectualIntellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s from all fields of public life) signed a project-statement, it was officially registered on November 29 of the same year. During the early 1990s, the association was involved in protests against the ruling National Salvation Front, including the Golaniad
Golaniad
The Golaniad was a protest in Romania in the University Square, Bucharest. It was initiated by students and professors at the University of Bucharest....
public gathering that were ended by the June 1990 Mineriad
June 1990 Mineriad
The June 1990 Mineriad was the suppression of an anti-National Salvation Front sit-in protests in Bucharest, Romania by the violent intervention of coal miners from the Jiu Valley, brought to Bucharest by the government to counter the rising violence of the protesters...
. In July 1991, a sizeable portion of its members, led by Nicolae Manolescu
Nicolae Manolescu
Nicolae Manolescu is a Romanian literary critic. As an editor of România Literară literary magazine, he has reached a record in reviewing books for almost 30 years...
, split with the AC over participation in national elections, and founded the Civic Alliance Party.
Principles
According to its statute, the main goals of the Civic Alliance Foundation are as follows:- working for the establishment of a civil society and the rule of lawRule of lawThe rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
in Romania - defending human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and fundamental freedoms - defending individual rights and the creation of a climate of tolerance among citizens
- promoting democratic values and institutionsDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, and consolidating real democracy in Romania - defending civic and individual interests regardless of ethnic origin, language, religion, and so on
- organizing civic educationCivicsCivics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
programs - regaining historical truth, moral values, and awareness that have been affected through imposing totalitarianTotalitarianismTotalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
communist rule - promoting awareness, respect, and dissemination of truth in public life, through combating all forms of violence and deception, through promotion of tolerance and dialogue within the association as well as within the social and political life of the country at large
- promoting real values, eliminating corruption and incompetence from economical, social, and political life
- supporting the continuation of economic, social, and administrative reforms
- involvement in the process of informing about Romania's EuroEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
-Atlantic integrationEuropean integrationEuropean integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe... - creating and maintaining natural links between the Romanian diasporaRomanian diasporaThe Romanian diaspora is the ethnically Romanian population outside Romania and Moldova. The concept does not usually include the ethnic Romanians who live as natives in the states surrounding Romania, chiefly those Romanians who live in Ukraine and Serbia. The diaspora does include the people of...
and country - developing relations with RomaniansRomaniansThe Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
outside Romania's borders, and with the Romanian diaspora, in supporting their actions to maintain their national identity - offering support to underprivileged social categories
Members and former members
- Petre Mihai Băcanu
- Ana BlandianaAna BlandianaAna Blandiana is a Romanian poet, essayist, and political figure. She took her name after Blandiana, near Vinţu de Jos, Alba County, her mother's home village.-Literary career:...
- Ion CaramitruIon CaramitruIon Caramitru is a Romanian stage and film actor, stage director, as well as a political figure. He was Minister of Culture between 1996 and 2000, in the Romanian Democratic Convention cabinets of Victor Ciorbea, Gavril Dejeu, Radu Vasile, Alexandru Athanasiu, and Mugur Isărescu.-Early life and...
- Victor CiorbeaVictor CiorbeaVictor Ciorbea is a Romanian politician. He was the Mayor of Bucharest in 1996-1997 and, after his resignation from office, Prime Minister of Romania from 12 December 1996 to 30 March 1998.-Biography:...
- Emil ConstantinescuEmil ConstantinescuEmil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist...
- Doina CorneaDoina CorneaDoina Cornea is a Romanian human rights activist and French professor. She was notable as a dissident during the communist regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu.-Dissidence under communism:...
- Lucia Hossu Longin
- Sorin Ilieşiu
- Adrian Marino
- Ioan T. MorarIoan T. MorarIoan T. Morar is a Romanian journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist, literary and art critic, and civil society activist. He is a founding member of the satirical magazine Academia Caţavencu and, since 2004, a senior editor for Cotidianul...
- Dan PuricDan PuricDan Puric is a Romanian actor, director, and pantomime artist. He is also known as a Christian Orthodox apologist-Biography:He graduated in 1978 from the fine arts high school Nicolae Tonitza in Bucharest, and in 1985 from the Institute of Theatrical and Cinematographic Arts, Bucharest. Between...
- Şerban Rădulescu-Zoner
- Romulus Rusan
- Mihai Şora
- Stelian TănaseStelian TanaseStelian Tănase is a Romanian writer, historian, journalist, political analyst, and talk show host. Having briefly engaged in politics during the early 1990s, after the fall of the Communist regime, he has remained a leading figure of the Romanian civil society.A founding member of both the Group...