Press releases (english)

Prague, 5 June 2007 – The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) and Nokia announced today that 74 youth groups will implement volunteer projects in the sixth year of the “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program. These youth groups will receive small grants totaling almost 2 million crowns, enabling them to complete projects focused on helping their communities. Youth groups are made up of teams of young volunteers aged between 16 and 24 from five regions of the Czech Republic and from children’s homes throughout the country. Just as in previous years, the projects put forward by the young people address diverse needs, ranging from helping the disabled and protecting the environment to launching cultural, music and sports events.

“The projects that will receive support this year include many interesting ideas,” says Jan Kolimar, the Managing Director of Nokia for the Czech and Slovak Republics. “We are delighted with the number of quality projects submitted, enabling us to distribute CZK 1,948,793. We are also pleased that, just as in previous years, very good proposals were made from all the regions.”

“The diverse projects submitted by young people in the Make a Connection – Připoj se program reflect the creative young minds that designed them,” says Hana Šilhánová, NROS Director. “In the past, for example, we supported projects to introduce canine therapy in Prague hospitals, graffiti exhibitions, the construction of skate parks, and projects intended to help young people start new bands. A good idea and a project that is targeted “outwards” to help the local community are always the most important aspects of any proposal.”

For this year’s selection of the best project ideas out of the 156 applications submitted by young people, the tried-and-tested model used in previous years, was again applied. The selection process is a two-round assessment, with youth group projects from each region examined by regional evaluation committees made up of representatives from local authorities, schools, the media, the non-profit and business sectors, and also young alumni of the program. The recommendations of the regional committees were subsequently reviewed by the principal evaluation committee in May, which selected the winning projects from across the Czech Republic that will receive grants of up to CZK 50,000 each.

Apart from the funds to implement their projects, young people will also attend a special training course lasting several days where they will learn about life skills and how to manage their projects. Such skill building will equip them with the knowledge needed to ensure their success, including media communication and fundraising.

About the “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program
The “Make a Connection – Připoj se” program is part of a global development initiative of Nokia and International Youth Foundation (IYF). Its goal is to provide support for the positive development of young people, by offering them opportunities to engage meaningfully with their peers, their families, and society in general. The program expands non-formal educational opportunities for young people, helps them to gain experience, and participate actively in community life. The program was launched in 2002 as a joint initiative of the Foundation for Development of Civic Society (NROS) and Nokia and currently operates in five regions of the country.. NROS overseas the overall management and coordination of the program, while at the regional level, its realization has been entrusted to five non-profit making organisations. The sixth partner is The Tereza Maxová Foundation, which is realizing the program for children's homes throughout the country. For further information, visit: www.pripojse.cz

About The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS)
The Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) strives to reinforce the position of the non-profit sector in the Czech Republic through philanthropy and voluntary work, and through projects that contribute to development of civic society and to European integration. The Foundation supports non-profit organizations and governmental agencies working with endangered or disadvantaged groups; protects human rights, democratic values, tolerance, and respect for the rights of minorities; and increases public awareness about these issues. One of the Foundation’s main target groups are children and young people. More information about NROS is available at www.nros.cz

About Nokia
Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services it creates. It has invested in community projects supporting young people and education in 30 countries, benefiting more than 1 million young people. The company has an active employee volunteering program which last year saw its employees give more than 25,000 hours to local community projects. Nokia is also supporting innovative technology projects designed to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of mobile technology tocommunities around the world. For more information, For more information, visit www.nokia.com/communityinvolvement

About the International Youth Foundation
The International Youth Foundation is a global non-profit organization uniquely dedicated to preparing young people to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. Founded in 1990, IYF’s worldwide network of partner organizations has grown to 70 countries, helping young people to shape their futures through proven programs that tie education to work, improve employability, and enable and inspire them to play a positive role in their communities. IYF collaborates with businesses, governments and civil society organizations to build effective, sustainable, and scalable programs that positively impact the lives of young people worldwide. To learn more about IYF, please visit: www.iyfnet.org.

Questions from media:

NROS:
Anna Onucová
Tel.: +420 227 217 254
Mobile Phone: +420 605 161 138
E-mail: anna.onucova@nros.cz

Nokia:
Martin Frýdl
AC&C Public Relations, s.r.o.
Tel.: +420 220 513 680
Mobile Phone: +420 603 419 681
Fax: +420 220 518 209
E-mail: martin.frydl@accpr.cz
ICQ: 223-959-827
SKYPE: martinfrydl8275