DATE=        AUGUST 31, 1997
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07423
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  N-E-D HELPS NEWLY INDEPENDENT STATES


CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
AUGUST 31, 1997.



ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL REFLECTING AMERICAN IDEALS
AND INSTITUTIONS.



VOICE:

    THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY, OR N-E-D, IS AN

INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION FUNDED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS.  IT IS

ACTIVE AROUND THE WORLD PROMOTING THE TENETS OF DEMOCRATIC

SOCIETY.  LAST YEAR, THE N-E-D CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON PROMOTING

THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY ON A GRASSROOTS AND REGIONAL LEVEL

IN THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.  A

VARIETY OF GROUPS WERE AWARDED GRANTS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS,

INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONS, CIVIC EDUCATION, LEGAL REFORM AND

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.



    THE ENDOWMENT SUPPORTED A RANGE OF PROJECTS IN RUSSIA,

INCLUDING A NATIONAL NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO PROMOTING CIVIC

EDUCATION.  AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOSCOW CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

AND LEGAL CULTURE DEVELOPED NEW HUMAN RIGHTS CURRICULA FOR

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND ITS MATERIALS ARE

BEING USED IN SOME TWENTY CITIES.



    IN UKRAINE, THE N-E-D SUPPORTED A WOMEN'S PROJECT AS WELL AS

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK.  THE

ENDOWMENT ALSO SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG

PEOPLE IN UKRAINIAN POLITICS THROUGH A PARLIAMENTARY INTERNSHIP

PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE GROUP, YOUTH ALTERNATIVE.



    AS UKRAINE MOVED TOWARD FULL DEMOCRACY, BELARUS SLIPPED

BACKWARDS TO AUTHORITARIAN RULE.  IN RESPONSE, THE N-E-D FUNDED

ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY IN EASTERN

EUROPE, WHICH ASSISTS NEWLY CREATED NON-GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATIONS.  THE ENDOWMENT ALSO SUPPORTED BELARUSIAN

INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONS.  USING N-E-D FUNDS, THE FREE TRADE

UNION INSTITUTE SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES RANGING FROM THE PUBLICATION

OF NEWSLETTERS FOR UNION MEMBERS TO ADVANCED TRAINING BY POLISH

SOLIDARITY MEMBERS.



    THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY IS ALSO ACTIVE IN MANY

OTHER REGIONS INCLUDING THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA.  AS

ENDOWMENT PRESIDENT CARL GERSHMAN SAID, N-E-D WORKS BECAUSE IT

APPRECIATES THE IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS THAT LINK LIKE-MINDED

ACTIVISTS AND BECAUSE IT SHARES THE ASPIRATIONS THAT DRIVE PEOPLE

TO SACRIFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM.  AS A RESULT, N-E-D HAS

BECOME A SYMBOL OF AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF

DEMOCRACY.



ANNCR:



    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL REFLECTING AMERICAN IDEALS AND

INSTITUTIONS.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE,

PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C,

20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.

YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.



29-Aug-97 10:02 AM EDT (1402 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.