CNVP participated in a Forum of organisations, NGOs and donors in Skopje on 12 December 2017 that aimed to coordinate conservation activities in the Prespa region. This bio-diversity hotspot is a transboundary treasure for Macedonia, Albania and Greece.

 Trilateral cross-border cooperation in Prespa started in 2000 with the Declaration of the Prespa Park. In 2010, the 'Agreement for the Prespa Park' was signed which envisaged the creation of a new structure for cross-border cooperation. Different actors of the signatories of the Agreement have worked together on a cross-border basis on the environmental protection of National Parks, involving local government units, NGOs and researchers in the field of preservation and nature. Whilst much investment has been channelled towards Prespa, visible and sustainable results require continuation of this support.

 A main conclusion of the Forum was the need to coordinate current and future NGO activities. Prespa Net agreed to take on this role (http://www.ppnea.org/prespa_net.html).

 The event was organised by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) Fund (http://pont.org/) that will be available for conservation initiatives in the Prespa region starting from 2018. ΡΟΝΤ was established in 2015 with funding from MAVA Foundation and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This is working through KfW Development Bank to (a) support the increasing environmental needs of the Prespa Ohrid region, and (b) respond to the lack of sufficient funding for conservation efforts. As a conservation trust fund, PONT will be able to provide long-term sustainable financing to the region’s national parks and local environmental actors.