June 10 / 10:00–13:00 CEST

“Trauma-Informed Facilitation — A systemic lens for holding civic spaces”

with Christa Cocciole and Julia Hoffmann

How do we create spaces where safety, dignity, and belonging are more than ideals—where they can be felt, embodied, and sustained? Trauma doesn’t disappear with time; Left unspoken, it echoes back to us—especially in moments of tension or stress. Noticing these patterns allows us to stop repeating harm and start transforming how we connect and lead.

This session offers embodied practices and practical tools to strengthen trauma-awareness in ourselves and our communities. We’ll explore how to recognise trauma responses, how to speak the language of nervous systems, and hold space when others are in different states of distress or shutdown. Hosts will also offer a map to orient ourselves in this inquiry—turning inward, staying present with others, co-creating trust, and remaining open to what emerges.

Registration opens soon—stay tuned.

June 16 / 10:00–13:00 CEST

When a conversation gets difficult: how to work with difference and tension”

with Payam Yuce Isik

In a world of growing complexity and deepening polarization, we often find ourselves navigating opposing perspectives and unresolved tensions. Left unspoken, these dynamics can build up and lead to conflict. To build healthier collaborations and more resilient partnerships, we need to engage with what’s beneath the surface: hidden emotions, unspoken concerns, and group power dynamics. This session with Payam Yuce Isik offers practical tools for engaging with difference and working with tension more consciously. Together, we’ll explore:

➨ How to create spaces where everyone’s voice is heard and valued

➨ How to recognize the underlying tensions that block a group progress and diagnose when group dynamics become polarized

➨ Practical tools to “lower the waterline” — and bring those hidden dynamics into the group conscious

➨ How to stay in conversation when different views and emotions make dialogue hard

Registration opens soon—stay tuned.

Сообщение Facilitating Real Dialogue: Don’t miss it! появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

The new call has been launched by the ‘EU NEIGHBOURS east’ programme, and is aimed at dynamic and enthusiastic young people, interested in EU affairs and their country’s partnership with the EU. You will need a good level of English, you should be keen to contribute to the development and prosperity of your community and country, and be ready to dedicate sufficient time to be part of civic engagement activities. 

The successful candidates will engage in online and dialogue-driven activities, and represent the youth of their countries both domestically and abroad. They will exchange experiences, discuss matters of direct concern to young people, share best practices, and work together for a better future for their countries. Visit our special application pageto find out more about the call and the YEAs initiative.

To apply for a Young European Ambassador position, applicants should complete the application form by 24 February 2025. Applicants are asked to submit a motivational video to support their application. 

Once the call for applications is closed, selected candidates will first be invited to an interview. Those who successfully pass the interview will then be invited to special sessions, and their profiles will be sent for further approval (to official stakeholders). The process from the date when the call for applications is closed until the final results takes approximately eight weeks.

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Ukrainian applicants can apply either from Ukraine or from wherever they are now living in the EU. 

YEAs from Belarus are no longer active on the territory of Belarus, but young Belarusians living in the EU or UK can join the network wherever they are now living in Europe.

The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) initiative is a non-political, voluntary, vibrant communication network connecting and building bridges of friendship among young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States and the United Kingdom. The aim of the network is to raise awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Eastern partner countries, showcase the tangible results of this cooperation, contribute to policy dialogue on various topics, help increase civic activism and work together for a better future.

The YEAs initiative was created by the European Union in 2016 and has involved more than 2,400 young people to date. There are currently more than 500 active YEAs representing over 30 different nationalities.

More information: https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/your-chance-to-become-a-young-european-ambassador-apply-now-2/

Сообщение Your chance to become a Young European Ambassador – apply now! появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

Against the background of complex challenges, including the war in Ukraine and authoritarian tendencies in the region, the General Assembly of the EaP CSF adopted a resolution setting strategic guidelines for the Eastern Partnership countries.

The Summit participants called to continue the Eastern Partnership policy and to promote the role of civil society within the framework of this policy.

The renewed Eastern Partnership (EaP) policy should prioritise the broad security dimension, resilience building, information exchange and the joint response mechanism. The latter is a key means to contribute to the overall security of the EaP region and to counter disinformation-related threats.

We have compiled the main points of the resolution (which can also be read in full below).

Support for Civil Society and Reforms

The General Assembly emphasized the crucial role of civil society in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries as a guarantor of democratic reforms and governmental accountability. Civil society organizations actively contribute to the promotion of the rule of law, transparency, and human rights. The Assembly calls on regional governments to expand civil society’s involvement in shaping and implementing national reforms, ensuring the protection of its interests even under challenging political conditions.

The War in Ukraine and Its Consequences

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine remains the primary security threat in the region. The resolution condemns the devastating impact of the war, including humanitarian crises and human rights violations. The Assembly highlights the importance of continued support for Ukraine—militarily, financially, and in its integration into the EU. Particular attention is given to rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, advancing a green economic transformation, and engaging civil society in these processes.

A Differentiated Approach to Integration

Eastern Partnership countries display varying levels of ambition toward EU integration. Ukraine and Moldova have commenced accession negotiations, while Armenia is strengthening ties with the EU through new initiatives. At the same time, challenges related to Russian influence persist, requiring a comprehensive EU approach to supporting reforms, security, and regional development.

Shrinking Civic Space

Civil society in Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Georgia faces severe repression. Arrests of activists, media restrictions, and the introduction of restrictive laws threaten the democratic development of these countries. The Assembly calls on the international community to increase pressure on authoritarian regimes, secure the release of political prisoners, and support organizations forced to operate in exile.

Regional Cooperation and Sustainable Development

Strengthening collaboration between EaP countries and the EU remains a priority. The Assembly highlighted issues such as energy security, combating disinformation, advancing digital technologies, and ensuring economic resilience. Calls include promoting environmental initiatives, transitioning to a green economy, and fostering inclusive development for youth, women, and vulnerable groups.

Fighting Authoritarianism

The Assembly condemned the repressive actions of authorities in Belarus and Azerbaijan. It emphasized that the international community must prioritize human rights and democratic values over short-term economic interests, including energy deals. Participants called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and increased support for democratic forces.

The Role of the EU: Leadership in Advancing Reforms

The European Union remains a key partner in the region. The resolution underscores the importance of joint efforts to advance reforms, strengthen the rule of law, and promote democracy. Under the EaP program, significant focus is placed on security, environmental issues, social development, and integration with the European market.

Conclusion

The 2024 EaP CSF General Assembly resolution sets a clear course for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and fostering sustainable development in the Eastern Partnership countries. Amid contemporary challenges, these steps provide a foundation for long-term stability and prosperity in the region.

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum has been working since 2009 to promote a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The Forum cooperates with 1,200 civil society organisations in Europe and the Eastern Partnership, making it the largest platform supporting democratic transition and European integration in the Eastern Partnership countries.

Сообщение Continue the Eastern Partnership policy: Read the Resolution of the EaP Civil Society Summit появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

Founded in 2009 by Georgian journalist Natia Kuprashvili along with other independent journalists, the Journalism Resource Center (JRC) has been dedicated to supporting regional media and safeguarding independent community media in Georgia. Their work stems from the belief that strong local journalism is key to countering propaganda, particularly coming from Russia. 

To address propaganda and disinformation, the JRC launched TOK TV, Georgia’s only Russian-language broadcaster and developed the debunking application Fact or Fake to debunk false information. 

The JRC was actively targeted in 2023-2024 due to its active opposition to the Foreign Agent Law implemented by Georguia’s ruling Georgian Dream party. Ms Natia Kuprashvili, her family members as well as colleagues were the target of harassment and threats which have yet to be investigated. 

“Propaganda can only be countered through strong local journalism. If there ever was a need, last month’s elections in Georgia illustrated that truth and freedom of the press can protect us from authoritarianism. This is particularly true in a country like Georgia where the media are controlled by oligarchs permeable to Russian propaganda. Journalists and civil society organisations working together can make a difference to provide fact-checked information and uphold democracy”

Ms Natia Kuprashvili, Founder of the Journalism Resource Centre. 

“In rewarding the work done by the Journalism Resource Centre, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum recognises the paramount role journalists play in combatting the false spread of information, and in the overall resistance to the so-called Foreign Agent Law introduced by the Georgian authorities. Faced with the rise of propaganda at a regional and global level, the fact-checking work and investigative work conducted by journalists is essential to provide citizens with the keys to understanding the powers at play and make enlightened political decisions. Supporting quality journalism contributes to the survival of democracy”. 

Mr Lasha Tugushi, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

About the Award

Since its creation in 2018, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Award celebrates the outstanding and courageous work of organisations from the Eastern Partnership region.

The Civil Society Award recognises civil society organisations’ daily commitment to defending core democratic values, advancing democratic reform, contributing to the political, economic and social development of their countries, and helping people and communities in vulnerable situations. It is delivered by the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum on behalf of its 1,200 civil society members. 

Previous awardees include: 

• 2018 – Mr Davit Petrosyan (Armenia) for his courageous and instrumental leadership in mobilising youth and students in the context of Armenia’s 2018 street protests, eventually leading to the Velvet Revolution.
• 2019 – Promo-LEX (Moldova) for their outstanding and courageous work in the field of the political, economic and social development of their countries and defending core democratic values. 
• 2020 – Belarusian Civil Society (Belarus) for its essential help to the victims of the repressions during the 2020 authoritarian repression in Belarus. 
• 2022 – Ukrainian Civil Society (Ukraine) for their extraordinary mobilisation in support of the war effort, providing humanitarian aid, and alleviating suffering while continuing to support democratic reforms. 
• 2023 – Belarusian Association of Journalists (Belarus) for their resolute commitment to independent journalism in Belarus, integrity in the defence of media freedom, democracy, and human rights even while faced with the harshest of oppressions. 
• 2024 – Journalism Resource Centre (Georgia) for its persistent work to counter disinformation and contribution to a free, fair and independent media in Georgia amidst the crackdown in the context of the Foreign Agent Law.

Source

To find out more about the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Award, please check the EaP CSF website. 

Сообщение Journalism Resource Centre in Georgia receives 2024 Civil Society Award delivered by 1,200 Eastern Partnership civil society organisations появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

Interested scholars and practitioners are invited to discuss questions of resilient democracies and the rule of law across Europe, thereby focusing on the case of Poland.

The objectives of the autumn school are:

• To spread knowledge about the challenges to democracy and the rule of law in Europe
• To understand the structures of anti-democratic policies in Poland, Europe and beyond
• To look for theoretical approaches and practical measures for defending democracy and the rule of law
• To build bridges between the next generation of researchers, experts, and activists committed to the defence of democracy and the rule of law in their countries and Europe

BpB will encourage 15 young researchers, experts, and activists to join the programme to develop a better understanding of the topic and build synergies between their research and initiatives for better outreach and effectiveness.

Deadline for applications: August 15 2024, 17.00 CEST
Selection period: August 15 – August 30 2024

More information: https://www.bpb.de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungskalender/550253/autumn-school-unpacking-the-rule-of-law-in-europe/

Сообщение Autumn School | Unpacking the Rule of Law in Europe появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

Call for civic innovators

Are you pioneering new, innovative, and creative ideas in the sphere of civic education? Do you and your organisation want to share your knowledge and good practices with civic educators from across Europe by partaking in expert panel discussions?

Then apply for a spot to participate in the NECE Festival 2024: BORDERS (4 – 17 November, Tirana).

The festival’s interactive, interdisciplinary, and inclusive format empowers participants to actively contribute by presenting innovative projects, to exchange best practice examples and further insights to strengthen a cohesive approach in civic education.

Deadline for applications: 7 June 2024 (11:59 pm CET).

Details: https://nece.eu/nece-festival/

The NECE Festival 2024 is organised with the Center Science and Innovation for Development. SCiDEV is supporting THE CIVICS as a local partner organisation for the implementation of the festival in Tirana.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation.

Сообщение European festival of civic education: BORDERS появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

We think we can answer these questions during an online course designed to equip Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Eastern Partnership countries with the knowledge about cross-cutting issues and tools to develop and implement Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and gender policies. 

Registration is open till November 13!

When: November 15 – December 20, 2023
Format: online course, participation is free of charge
Language: English
For whom: CSOs representatives and volunteers from EaP countries
Registration deadline: November 13, 2023

We welcome participants:

• – from the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), 
• – who work or volunteer in CSOs, regardless of position or experience, and/or lead their own initiative,
• – up to 2 people from one organization/initiative can apply. 

This diverse group will enrich the learning experience and foster networking and collaboration opportunities.

More information:

Сообщение Implementing Cross-Cutting Values in Our Work: Online Course for CSOs появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

If you want to register for English language teacher training, or if you have any questions regarding the project Fit4EU, please reach out via mail@fit4eu.org.

More information:

Сообщение English-language teacher training course on civic education about the EU появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

The Toolbox is a capacity-building toolkit designed to empower organisations, initiatives, and groups in navigating complexity and uncertainty. It enables teams to address real capacity-building needs and enhance their collaborative impact.

This framework has already made a remarkable impact, having been applied to empower over 100 locally-rooted civil society organisations. 

Join us to discover how this framework can drive positive change in your own team and organisation!

More about Toolbox here: https://civilsocietytoolbox.org

Who is this workshop for?

• Individuals from civil society organisations and other non-profits
• Facilitators, trainers, and experts in organisational development, participation, and community engagement
• Team leaders who are seeking efficient tools to enhance learning culture and organisational development

Participants will receive access to an online toolbox for their organisation following the workshop and an additional Q&A session will be offered for those interested in joining a community of practice and collaborating on further Toolbox development.

Speakers: 

The horizontal school is a platform of Commit by MitOst, where the Toolbox for Citizens has been developed. The workshop will be hosted by experienced facilitator and co-creator of the Toolbox, Linnéa Mühlenkamp, along with Maxim Smekhov, horizontal school program manager and Toolbox coordinator.

Linnea is passionate about creating educational spaces for young people to become active in society. Working as a freelance trainer and facilitator in non-formal education projects and programs, mostly in Germany and North Africa, she has expertise in organisational development, community building, and civic education.

Maxim specialises in civic education, participatory methods, and innovative learning. As a program manager at horizontal.school, he co-creates educational projects like Erasmus Project Mind The Game and Civil Society Toolbox, driven by a belief in the untapped potential of human connection.

Сообщение Toolbox for Citizens: A True Story of Collective Impact появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.

The surveys were conducted in February 2023, with face-to-face interviews in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova. In Ukraine, computer-assisted telephone interviews were carried out, while in Belarus an online panel survey was used.

Armenia

Sixty per cent of Armenians trust the European Union, more than any other international institution and 17 points up on two years ago, while almost three-quarters of those asked (74%) think relations between the EU and Armenia are good. This year’s survey also found that 69% of Armenians were aware of the EU’s financial support to their country (compared to 62% in 2016). A very large majority (82%) was aware that the EU has a Delegation in Armenia.

Find out more

Azerbaijan

Most Azerbaijani citizens (61%) have a positive image of the European Union, 13 points up on last year’s 48% and by far the highest number since the surveys began in 2016, when only 27% of those asked had a positive image of the EU. More people than ever also felt their country had good relations with the EU – 80% this year compared to 71% when the surveys began in 2016.

Find out more

Belarus

Twice as many Belarusians have a positive image of the European Union (33%) as those who see the EU in a negative light (16%). The 2023 survey also found that just over half (51%) of Belarusian citizens know very or rather well what the EU is all about, and that 80% of those who have heard about the EU are interested in knowing more, especially about its relations with Belarus (49%).

Find out more

Georgia

An overwhelming majority of Georgians (84%) feel their country has good relations with the European Union, nine points more than in 2016, when the surveys began. Awareness of the EU’s financial support for Georgia has also risen dramatically, standing at 82% this year compared to just 60% in 2016. The EU continues to be the most trusted international institution among Georgians (78%). 

Find out more

Republic of Moldova

Moldovans have an increasingly good image of the European Union (62%), pointing to good relations between their country and the EU (78%), and trusting the EU more than at any time in the last eight years (63%), according to the 2023 annual survey. The citizens of Moldova are very aware of the EU’s financial support to their country (81%), and more than half feel this support is effective.

Find out more

Ukraine

Ninety-six per cent of Ukrainians say their country has good relations with the European Union, up 31 points since 2021. The latest poll also found that 95% of citizens know that the EU has been providing Ukraine with support since the beginning of the war, with most of them (85%) considering it as effective. Almost three-quarters (72%) of Ukrainians have a positive image of the EU, the highest recorded percentage since the surveys began in 2016, when only 49% had a positive image.

Find out more

Сообщение EU retains high trust levels across the Eastern partner countries, opinion polls find появились сначала на Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education.