The 11th edition of the Black Sea NGO Forum was held between the 12th and 14th of November 2018 in Brussels, 2 months prior to the Romanian Presidency to the Council of the European Union, which during its mandate promotes an active role of civil society in the Black Sea region. The event was organised by the Romanian NGDO Platform – FOND Romania, with the financial support of the European Commission and in partnership with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the 2016 EU Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy, civil society’s contribution is essential for state and societal resilience as it can promote democratic values and the rule of law, hold governments accountable, ensuring public participation and working with communities. However, civil society space is shrinking more and more worldwide, leaving CSOs (Civil Society Organisations) unable to contribute to their full potential of making communities and societies more resilient.
Starting from this, at the Forum, CSO representatives were organised into multiple groups and asked to discuss and find answers to the following questions:
What is/ can be the role of CSOs in fostering society resilience at national and local community level?
How to keep CSOs resilient in a shrinking civic space context?
What should be the role of the Black Sea NGO Forum (through regional cooperation) and other stakeholders in facilitating the CSO resilience in the region?
Based on the input received, FOND Romania has elaborated, as a follow-up activity, a Reflection Paper which brings into discussion the concept of resilience from the perspective of civil society within the Black Sea Region, exploring what CSO resilience stands for and how CSOs, the Black Sea NGO Forum, as well as other stakeholders can contribute to strengthening it.
Through the Black Sea NGO Forum, FOND Romania supports enabling environment for Civil Society Organisation’s, as well as regional cooperation in the Black Sea Region!
The Black Sea NGO Forum Reflection Paper on ”CSO Resilience: What does it mean and how can we strengthen it?” is available for consultation here.