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Social Platform’s creation:
Social Platform was established in 1995 and brings together around forty European non-governmental organisations, federations and networks which are working to build an inclusive society and promote the social dimension of the European Union. The creation of the Platform was not without some conflicts within the NGO sector. The main fear was that the EC and the overall institutions would like to have one single actor for civil dialog. As stated previously, EAPN played a central role in the creation and development of this Platform and to avoid the announced risk of diminishing the space for participation and dialog of the heterogeneity of actors.
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First EAPN Training (Bierville – France):
A training programme for EAPN members was set up in 1995 with one, then two training sessions per year. Several hundred members have benefited from it.
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6th GA – Belfast (UK)
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Finland and Austria National Networks joined EAPN:
Even before the enlargement took place formally, EAPN was already welcoming Austria, Finland and Sweden – mainly as a consequence of the work done since the Conference in Budapest the previous year.
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World Summit for Social Development:
At the World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), held in March 1995 in Copenhagen, Governments reached a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development. The Social Summit was the largest gathering ever of world leaders at that time. It pledged to make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment and the fostering of social integration overriding objectives of development.At the conclusion of the World Summit for Social Development, Governments adopted a Declaration and Programme of Action, which represent a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development. The largest gathering yet of world leaders 117 heads of State or Government – pledged to make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment and the fostering of stable, safe and just societies their overriding objectives.