Athens Network of Collaborating Experts (ANCE)

Athens Network of Collaborating Experts (ANCE) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation based in Athens, Greece. It was established in 1996 by a group of Greek experts in international development cooperation and technical assistance and today has succeeded to create an extensive network of collaborators and volunteers for the promotion of sustainable development and the support of vulnerable social groups in the European Union and the developing countries.

ANCE is collaborating with other non-governmental organisations, local development agencies, local authorities, Universities and research centres, and the private sector in Greece and abroad, for:

1. combating all kinds of racism, xenophobia, marginalisation and social exclusion
2. the sensitization of EU citizens on the problems of the developing world
3. the promotion of democracy and the protection of human rights
4. the support of populations affected by natural disasters and wars
5. the distribution of humanitarian aid
6. the support of entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development in areas of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America
7. the implementation of income generating projects for the weakest and most disadvantaged groups of society
8. the improvement of women‘s access to the labor market
9. environmental protection and preservation of the cultural heritage.

ANCE is also a member of:

1. the Greek Forum “Alliance against Poverty” that operates under the frame of the “Global Call for Action against Poverty” (GCAP), a massive global coalition against poverty from more than 110 countries, including Greece. The Greek platform of GCAP, is an open network of 55 Greek organisations and coalitions, from the fields of development and humanitarian aid, human rights, fight against exclusion and environmental protection.
2. the Greek National Network of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures (ALF) that promotes understanding between cultures and exchanges between civil societies.
3. the European Civic Forum (FCE), a transnational network gathering today 92 associations and NGOs from 21 countries of the European Union, which aims to encourage a civic and popular ownership of Europe by facilitating the networking of local, regional and national associative and NGOs actors working in their countries in the field of citizenship education and civics but also by the implementation of common actions aiming at “awakening the European citizen”.