OSA / Collections / Fonds / HU OSA 4

HU OSA	4 C
Authority entry:	Belarusian Soros Foundation

Related records:

HU OSA 4

Date(s) and Place(s) of existence 1992-1997, Minsk, Belarus

Legal status Charitable grant-giving organization

Mandate, functions and sphere of activity

Belarusian Soros Foundation was created as a charitable grant-giving organization that aimed to promote the ideas of open society under the conditions of the post-Soviet decay. Soros Foundation in Belarus was created on October 12, 1992 with the support of the Open Society Institute and by the initiative of Belarusian citizens. On January 5, 1993 the Foundation was already officially registered by the Belarusian authorities. The Statute was passed by the Foundation Assembly on February 25, 1995.

As stated in the Statute, the main objective of the organization was to create open society in the Republic of Belarus. The goals set were to support intellectual potential in the Belarusian society, to mediate dialogues between different social groups, between Belarus and other countries, to promote development in market economy, education, science and culture, to support human rights civic initiatives. Soros Foundation in Belarus aimed to provide financial and information support to the organizations and individuals who launched and worked on the projects pursuing the abovementioned goals and objectives. The priority areas of the national programs included humanities, culture, science, social sciences, mass media, legislature, market economy, ecology, medicine and youth projects.
The process of project implementation included the following stages:
1. Approving national programs
2. Considering submitted projects and making decision on grant giving
3. Implementation stage
4. Evaluation of the project

Among the projects supported in the first years were International House (a language school), First Step (a primary school that used innovative methods of teaching), the European Humanities University (a private institution that provided education in the field of humanities and was later closed by the authorities due to the lack of loyalty), debate clubs (youth clubs in secondary schools that were later on organized in the Belarusian debate association and still function in Belarus), East-East (conferences and seminars that promoted cooperation between the post-Soviet block countries), Institute of privatization and management, mass media center, radio stations and International Scientific Fund.

Belarus Soros Foundation seized to exist in 1997 due to the ongoing attacks by the Belarusian authorities that prevented the organization from normal functioning and finally outlawed it from Belarus.

Administrative structure

Belarusian Soros Foundation functioned on the basis of individual membership of the Belarusian citizens who already achieved the age of 18. The chief administrative body was represented by the Assembly that was hold according to the necessity but at least once a year. The Assembly was regularly called by the Supervision Board. The Supervision Board ran all the Foundation activities in between the Assemblies. The Board that consisted of 9 people was elected by the Assembly and held accountable to it. The members of the Board among themselves elected the Chief, the Chief deputy and the Secretary of the Supervision Board, the Executive Director, the Finance Director and Project Coordinators. The Board meetings were held at least once a month. The Revision Committee was elected for the term of two years to control financial activities. It also held accountable to the Assembly. All the Foundation decisions were documented by the Protocols (minutes).

Rules or conventions

ISAAR(CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families General Intenational Standard Archival Description; OSA Internal Rules.

Dates of description

Revised by Olga Zaslavskaya, 30 November 2005
Online version updated 19 April 2012