On Friday, May 3, 2013, the 14th annual NGO Market took place at the National Technical Library in Prague. The fair showcased 197 NGOs with almost 3,000 attendees, ranging from professionals to the general public.
The NGO Market opened with a special morning program for NGO representatives.
They were invited to participate in either a lecture given by Nick Allen and Jitka Nesrstová about online fundraising – opportunities to use the Internet as a means to raise funds – or in a panel discussion devoted to donations. This panel, led by Jarmila Baudišová from the Avast Foundation, Klára Tichá from the Telefónica Foundation and philanthropist Karel Janeček, discussed their approaches on making donations. The discussion was moderated by Jan Bumba, Editor of Ekonom Magazine.
At 11:00, the fair opened to the public. The associated program was prepared by the NGO Market partner organizations, and in large part, by the NGOs themselves. In a combined effort, they organized a number of interesting lectures and seminars, including topics covering how to link businesses and NGOs, leadership in the non-profit sector, and cooperation with the media. A full-day program was also offered for children.
In addition to the NGO presentations, attendees were invited to visit the charity bazaar or the “psychic booth” that simulated the state of Schizophrenia. Visitors could also try to see what it is like to be in a wheelchair or watch a performance given by children from a socially excluded location in Brno. Among the guests were patrons of several NGOs, including film director Jan Hřebejk and children’s book author Ivona Březinová. In one of the associated workshops, actor Jaroslav Dušek called on NGOs to reflect together and cooperate in their projects.
Similar to the last year, the fair was preceded by an international conference. This year’s theme was “PROVE = MEASURE: How Can NGOs Justify Their Value?” The conference was held on May 2, 2013, and participants included more than 100 NGO representatives. Presentations covered topics such as measuring the effectiveness of NGOs on the Internet, the value of voluntary work, the transparency of NGOs, and how NGOs should communicate with the public about the impact of their activities.
More information about the fair can be found on the Forum 2000 website where you can also view photos from the event.