Civil Society Forum 2022
The Aspen Institute Germany and the Southeast Europe Association jointly assumed responsibility for the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum in 2022, which was supported by the Federal Foreign Office. The forum consisted of two consecutive events: On October 19-20, 2022, the Digital Preparatory Workshop of the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2022 in the framework of the Berlin Process was organized and provided a platform for civil society representatives and think tankers from all six Western Balkan countries and from the EU to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to the region. Participants gathered in thematic working groups to develop specific policy recommendations on key topics such as the EU integration process, information disorder, the Green Agenda and infrastructure investments. These recommendations were composed in preparation of a conference, where the results from the workshop will be discussed with government officials from the Western Balkans and other European countries in Berlin shortly before the Berlin Process Summit. On November 1-2, 2022, the second part of the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum took place, namely a conference in Berlin with more than 100 participants. By fostering a lively exchange between civil society and decision makers, the Aspen Institute Germany and the Southeast Europe Association were able to support the Berlin Process that seeks to strengthen regional cooperation and facilitate a continuous dialogue among the Western Balkan countries as well as the EU member states. Through a two-day program consisting of topical panel discussions, workshops, and “spotlight” talks, the conference sought to strengthen the voice of civil society and promote “local ownership” of policy discussions in the Berlin Process.
