NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
"LEV SAPIEHA FOUNDATION”

NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” is a non-governmental, non-political, non-profit organization.
We are one of Belarus’ oldest NGOs, founded June 26, 1992 for the purpose of assisting:
• the processes of establishing and developing democratic reforms in the Republic of Belarus in the field of local self-government, economy, science and culture;
• the development of civil society;
• the promotion of democratic ideas.
NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” was re-registered by the Ministry of Justice in 2005 (licence No. 01322).
We unite well-known lawyers, economists, sociologists, historians, deputies of local Councils, representatives of culture, press and business.

Guidelines of our Activity:
• development of local self-government;
• realisation of citizens’ rights in local community;
• development and support for regional non-governmental organizations;
• support for civil initiatives;
• educational, scientific and publishing activity.

Our tasks is following:
• development of proposals on the reformation and improvement of local self-government in Belarus;
• analysis of Belarusian and foreign legislation, assistance in the creation of statutory acts in the field of local self-government;
• cooperation with Belarusian and foreign NGOs for the purposes of strengthening democracy in Belarus, promotion of international relations;
• assistance to the revival and development of the national culture, the historical heritage of the people of Belarus and the strengthening of its sovereignty;
• support for civil initiatives from NGOs and individuals;
• development of civil education system.

Our Achievements
The organization has successfully implemented over 45 projects, including over 20 regional projects. They have been supported by famous foreign initiatives, such as the Soros Foundation, TACIS, the Eurasia Fund, MATRA, the Ebert Foundation, the Adenauer Foundation, SIDA, USAID, ALDA and the European Commission.
 he Association has prepared the Conception of Reforming Belarus’ Local Self-Government and the packet of bills vital for its implementation.
 e have established partnership relations with municipal associations and educational centres in over 10 countries of Europe.
Our projects have embraced over 5 000 people, where we have trained about 400 specialists in self-government and civil leadership. We have also published over 20 books and brochures, 35 reviews and bulletins. A number of NGOs and regional newspapers have been founded upon the initiative and with the assistance of members of "Lev Sapieha Foundation.”

We are using next methods:
• organising research and analysis with the participation of Belarusian and foreign experts;
  holding educational seminars, lectures, conferences, round table discussions, meetings and expositions in Belarus;
• publishing Belarusian and foreign popular scientific editions, educational and methodological books as well as information and reference materials;
• creating information and education centres in Minsk and in the regions of Belarus;
• cooperatiing with international organisations, leading information exchange with Belarusian and overseas NGOs;
• rendering consultative, organisational and methodological an technical assistance to Belarusian NGOs.

Whose name do we bear?
The organization bears the name of chancellor of the Great Duchy of Lithuania Lev Sapieha (1557-1633).
 is lifetime is the ultimate prosperity of the Great Duchy of Lithuania – "the golden age” of medieval Belarus, which was greatly promoted by Lev Sapieha’s arduous work.
 ur history knows Lev Sapieha as
• an outstanding lawyer, one of the authors of the 3rd Statute of the Great Duchy of Lithuania, which became the world’s model of legal thought;
• a humanist and enlightener, whose ideas of man, society and government have lived through the centuries and are still relevant;
• a brilliant diplomat, who selflessly defended the Belarusian state and significantly strengthened it;
• a consistent defender of civil rights and liberties, who promoted the spread of regional democracy and urban self-government in the form of Magdeburg Right;
• a talented military leader, who numerously opposed aggression from abroad and won victory;
• a patron of arts, who directed his own money to the development of education, spiritual and material culture of his nation;
• a wise and prudent judge, who cared for the morale of man and power, supported the weak and deterred the obstinate.
Lev Sapieha for us is the ideal of Belarusian citizen, patriot and a real European.

What are our possibilities?
NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” is a national association, with members residing and working in all the regions of Belarus. These are highly qualified experts in the realms of law and economy, political science and journalism, science and culture, education and civil activity. A lot of them have been deputies of local Councils of Belarus, while many have parliamentary experience.
NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” cooperates with local Councils of deputies of Belarus, with municipalities in Sweden and Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania, Italy and the Czech Republic, with scientific and educational establishments, leaders and activists of non-governmental associations.
 ince 1996 NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” has had the official observer status at the commission of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member-states for studying the experience of state construction and self-government.
Since 1994 the association has been the only juridical person in Belarus, which is invited to partake in the work of the Congress of local and regional authorities of the Council of Europe, since 2001 it enjoys the observer status.
 embers of the organization hold the monitoring and analysis of implementing the existing legislation in the sphere of local self-government and self-government, as well as in the activity of NGOs. This is made by the means of expert and analytical work, including the activity of civil scientific councils and monitoring groups, which are operating in the country’s every region.
 he supreme body of NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” is the Confederation, which is summoned every two years. The Conference elects the chairman of the association and the Board, which is its permanent governing body.

Chairmen of NGO "Lev Sapieha Foundation” since foundation:
1992-1997 – Georgi Kunevich;
1997-2001 – Miroslav Kobasa;
2001-2005 – Aleksandr Zhukov;
Since 2005 – Miroslav Kobasa;


Our Coordinates:
Address: 1a-405, V.Kharuzhaj Str.
220005, Minsk, Belarus
Tel/fax: +375 17 286 32 44
E-mail: levsapieha@gmail.com