Welcome to Spire's English website. It is not as comprehensive as our Norwegian website, but we hope you'll find it useful. We publish summaries of our newsletters every week. In addition to that you can find more information about our work, and how you can get involved. We will also publish articles in English from time to time.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us either by phone or email.
tel: 23 10 95 93
email: mina@utviklingsfondet.no

Do you want to get involved in Spire?

Spire consists of both small groups, political committees and local chapters, and there are endless opportunities for getting involved. Here we have gathered information about the most central ways to get involved with us.

1) Spire`s political committee
Do you think Norwegian and international politics is exciting? Would you like contribute to political change? Do you want to join a youth organization that is growing and developing really quickly? Then I have 3 words for you and that is: Spire`s political committee!

According to Spire`s constitution there will be elected two political priorities on our AGM every year, and these will be two issues we will be working extra with in the coming year(in addition to our annual information campaign).

  In 2010, Spire`s political priorities is GMOs-genetically modified organisms (hunger and the right to food) and climate and environment (continuation of last year's climate campaign).
These committees shall, on the basis of Spire`s political platform, develop a clear strategy with specific targets for political influence and information work. Spire`s political committee meets regularly and is working for real political change within their area and are engaged in information work  about the theme, both internally in the organization and also towards the rest of the population.

"GMO": This group is working with genetically modified organisms and the right to food as an international human rights. We are in an important phase in which we are working on the import of genetically modified organisms, and Spire’s GMO Group will work closely with the Development Fund.

"Climate and the environment” Climate change is a fact, and unfortunately it is true that those who have contributed least to the CO2 emissions and thus the man-made climate change are those in countries that are most exposed to harmful consequences of the changing climate. Spire wants to continue the good work our campaign, "Shit happens?" has done and continues this theme as a political priority.

For more information or if you are interested to participate in one of the political committees, please contact Odilia by phone, 45 81 15 30, or e-mail odilia.hm@gmail.com (with a copy to mina@utviklingsfondet.no)

2) Campaign group
Spire’s campaign group will be working to implement this year's North-South information campaign. At our AGM in September 2009 next year's campaign theme was chosen to be "Landgrab". Landgrab is when large multinational companies (or Norwegian companies such as Scan Fuel) are acquiring vast areas of land in developing countries. The campaign will work with both political influence, with information work towards the Norwegian population, and with focusing on engaging youth. For more information or to join the campaign team, contact leader of the campaign,Brita Brekke on telephone 41 63 67 98 or e-mail britabrekke@gmail.com  (with a copy to mina@utviklingsfondet.no)

3) International Committee
Do you think international youth cooperation is exciting? Want to learn more about Malawi and Central America? Then Spire`s international group is the place for you.

Spire is cooperating with a youth network, Network for Youth Development, in Malawi and we are in the start up phase on establishing a partnership with a youth organization in Nicaragua. Do you know about an organization you wish Spire could work with? Do you want to work to spread information about Africa and Central America in Norway? Our international group consists of both Malawi and Central America fans, and we want you to join us too!

Spire`s international committee meets regularly, and is working to maintain and develop our international cooperation, making it better known in the organization, providing information in Norway, and to arrange international visits here in Norway. Spire plans to send two people from the international committee to Malawi in December to become better acquainted with our partner, and next year we expect to conduct an exchange with NfYD.

For more information or if you want to be part of the international committee, contact the international coordinator of Spire, Sindre Thon Bråten, by phone 41 64 76 95 or e-mail sindre_tb@hotmail.com (with a copy to mina@utviklingsfondet.no)

If you want to engage directly in the Central America Group (under the international committee), please contact Sofia on telephone 94 82 33 52 or e-mail sofiagottheil@hotmail.com   (with a copy to mina@utviklingsfondet.no)

4) Local chapters and other groups
Not everyone in Norway live in Oslo, and not just in Oslo, it is necessary to educate and engage people.
A lot of Spire`s activities takes place exactly in Oslo. We also have a small, but very active local chapter in Bergen. Earlier there has been an active local chapter in Ås as well, but because of members going abroad the local team is a bit down now.

If you want to start a local chapter near you, contact the organization's secretary in Spire, Mina, by email mina@utviklingsfondet.no, so we arrange a visit and realize your plans.

The local chapters or different groups can arrange many different activities, film screenings, arranging seminars and other workshops at schools or other locations, stands, organic feasts, -the sky is the limit!

Below is collected contact information to the local chapters or working groups:

Oslo: Since there are so many activities in Oslo, we don’t actually have a unit we call the local chapters. To get engaged in Oslo you can get involved in one of the units mentioned above. We also have an active trade group that works with international trade. This group follows the international trade negotiations and is free to arrange seminars, write chronicles or articles or to represent Spire in international trade meetings. If you would like more information about the trade group, please contact Trygve on trygve_lm@hotmail.com  

Bergen: Contact Lene at email spire.bergen@gmail.com
Also check out Spire Bergen's blog www.spirebergen.blogspot.com  

Ås: We really want to see our local chapter in Ås active again. If you want to get involved with Spire activities in Ås, please contact Mina on mina@utviklingsfondet.no

Trondheim: In Trondheim, there are many enthusiastic people, and right now we are working on establishing a local chapter here. If you want to join our local group here, contact Sandra at san-sol(at)online(dot)no with a copy to
mina(at)utviklingsfondet(dot)no

We really hope to hear more from you!

What to do now:

·         Get our newsletter every second week: Send an email to mina@utviklingsfondet.no

·         Join our Facebook group : Search for: Spire, Utviklingsfondets ungdom

·         Become a member of Spire:

Send   an email to mina@utviklingsfondet.no  with your full name, address, birth year, phone number, what group you would like to get involved with.
The membership fee is NOK50 and can be transferred to account nr: 8101 86 89456

Please call the payment” medlemskap, Spire [your name]”
Spire, Utviklingsfondet

Grensen9B
0159 Oslo

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