Civic education campaign “voTare” launched

The National Youth Council of Moldova and the National Assistance and Information Center for NGOs of Moldova “Contact” have started the itinerant civic education campaign “voTare” (“Voting”), Info-Prim Neo reports. The campaign is carried out as part of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections – Coalition 2009 and forms part of the Civic Education Campaign Project. The aims of the project are to help the Moldovan people better understand the electoral process and to increase participation in the 2009 parliamentary elections, a communique from the organizers says. The campaign was launched in Sangerei and Orhei districts on March 3, 2009 and will be then extended to all the 32 districts of the country, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. It is unbiased and nonpartisan and will last for 25 days. Six minibuses will travel simultaneously to villages to provide information to people and offer them invitations to the April 5 legislative elections. Over 180 trained volunteers will distribute informational, educative and promotional materials prepared by the associations that are members of Coalition 2009 (brochures, calendars, posters, etc). They will go from door to door and talk to the villagers so as to encourage them to take part in elections, will explain the voting procedure and the importance of participating in legislative elections. The volunteers will also place informational and promotional posters in public places like billboards and shops and will set up mobile pavilions in district centers, where they will distribute the materials. The Civic Education Campaign Project is financed by the Representative Office of Eurasia Foundation from the resources of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the United States Agency for International Development and the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy.