Center for Safe Energy
Creating Partnerships with the Former Soviet Union
The Center for Safe Energy (CSE) addresses the most urgent needs of citizens organizations in the former Soviet Union. Since 1989, the Center has actively formed partnerships with citizen groups across Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It encourages citizen groups to collaborate, which is a significant departure from the old Soviet system of secrecy, hierarchies and competition.
CSE accomplishes these goals by sending experts to its partners in the field to provide trainings and speak at seminars, as well as by organizing exchanges for CSE’s partners to visit the US, particularly through the Open World Leadership Program at the Library of Congress. CSE also provides grants to potential leaders, particularly women, dealing with environmental, social and economic problems in their communities.
A Tribute to Fran Macy
A Remarkable Life 1927-2009
Francis Macy was a dedicated environmentalist, energy activist and citizen diplomat, whose ground-breaking work inspired fresh collaborative ventures with the former Soviet Union.
The Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Earth Island Institute’s Center for Safe Energy since 1995, he trained hundreds of activists in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan to address the environmental legacy of the nuclear arms race and the Chernobyl disaster. Initiating scores of professional delegations and exchanges between Americans and their counterparts in the former Soviet Union, in the areas of psychology, environment, and citizen organizing since 1983, Macy’s work empowered the rise of non-governmental organizations--a strong contribution to the health of post-Soviet life. In 2005, he was awarded the Nuclear Free Future Lifetime Achievement Award. More…
Please visit Fran’s memorial site at www.francismacy.com.
Continuing Fran’s Legacy
His legacy is being carried on as CSE hosted six Open World delegations from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan in 2009.
