THE PONTIS Foundation, operating in the development aid sphere, will train young Iraqis in the workings of the non-governmental sector and political parties, as well as diplomacy. The initiative will train 30 Iraqis by June 2005.
The first five Iraqi participants recently attended a three-week training course in Slovakia with the organization, reported the TASR news wire December 14.
Trainees have visited the Slovak parliament, the all-news TV channel TA3, NGOs and several political institutions, said Michaela Lednová of the Pontis Foundation.
The Iraqis have also attended lectures by Slovak experts in the field of constitutional law, political science, media and civic studies, women's rights and ethnic studies.
The project is being supported by a grant provided by the International Republican Institute, a US organization.
The Pontis Foundation is already helping to improve development aid and democratization processes in the Balkans, Belarus and Cuba.
