Background
Olof Palme International Center and SIDA have financed projects for the Freja partnership in Western Balkan since 1997. The first project called Ronja started to support and educate unemployed women in Croatia.
The project included also countries within the European Union and was partly financed by the Leonardo da Vinci programme. Ronja was disseminated to other countries in the Western Balkan.
The project of Freja mentor programme started 2003 – Freja program. During this time a close relationship has developed with organisations in Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.
Since Freja Forum started 2007 more than 4,000 people have been, directly or indirectly, involved in and around the Freja Forum. Over 200 civil society organisations have shown interest in developing contacts and networks. This has also resulted in more than 100 different projects being created and a number of different cooperation and even EU applications have been submitted.
But most important of all, friendship, respect and understanding have been developed in the meeting between people.
The Aim
The aim has been to establish strong and long term work for democracy in the region. Since 2005 has the Swedish Union of Tenants region Aros-Gavle have the lead of the network of organisations which are organising the Freja Forum. The vision is to establish frequent forums in the region.
Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Freja Forum was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
Freja Academy
The FREJA Academy is an association started 2011 and has been the organiser of Freja Forum in partnership with local CSOs. Freja Academy is also organising lectures during the Sunday in the Forum.
In recent years has Freja Academy arranged a number of training sessions in connection to Freja Forum. After participating in one of the sessions, the participant will receive a certificate.
The voluntary work with developing a sustainable Freja Forum for Western Balkans and Turkey has been very important.