Civil Society Forum 2024
As the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Process Summit draws near, stakeholders from the Western Balkans and the EU are set to gather in Berlin for the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024. Culminating with a large-scale conference on the sidelines of the Berlin Process Summit, the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum will shine a spotlight on the perspectives and ideas of Western Balkan civil society, strengthening their visibility and equipping decision-makers with their insights. The Aspen Institute Germany is organizing the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024 in collaboration with the Southeast Europe Association and with generous support from the German Federal Foreign Office.
Since the second Berlin Process Summit in 2015, the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum has aimed to formulate, present, and discuss policy recommendations on topics crucial to the Western Balkans. As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Berlin Process, this year’s Civil Society & Think Tank Forum will not only shine a spotlight on civil society recommendations, but also put forward ideas on the future of the Berlin Process.
The Southeast Europe Association and the Aspen Institute Germany are proud to announce that the 2024 Civil Society and Think Tank Forum will take place on October 9-11 in Berlin. On the 10thanniversary of the Berlin Process, the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum is bringing together a diverse array of civil society stakeholders representing over 115 organizations to actively shape and participate in the Berlin Process. Over three days, this event will shine a spotlight on policy recommendations through public exchanges between civil society, government, and other key stakeholders from the Western Balkans and the EU.
“With every passing year, it becomes more important to ensure that all stakeholders feel represented and heard in the Berlin Process,” explained Dr. Christian Hagemann, the Executive Director of the Southeast Europe Association. “The Civil Society and Think Tank Forum provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity by offering civil society the opportunity to reach out with their policy recommendations directly to key decision-makers from the Western Balkans.”
“The Civil Society Forum’s approach is unique and particularly effective because it is rooted in local actors’ expertise and experience,” said Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Germany. “This ensures that the recommendations remain relevant and build on existing regional initiatives and capacities in the Western Balkans.”
Already this year, a Preparatory Forum on July 9-11 in Skopje convened over 130 civil society leaders from the Western Balkans and the EU to formulate policy recommendations. In advance of public exchanges hosted by the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum, the Preparatory Forum sparked new ideas through confidential discussions across seven thematic working groups. Thanks to the diversity of participants’ experiences and fields of expertise, the discussions resulted in policy recommendations which address urgent challenges and opportunities to the Western Balkans.
The thematic areas addressed by the civil society leaders ranged from EU integration, the energy transition, and dealing with the past/reconciliation to crosscutting issues such as rule of law, youth, minorities, and local issues. For the first time, the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum featured a working group on “Gender and Diversity,” including grassroots organizations from across the Western Balkans and the EU. In addition, working groups covered topics including common regional market and mobility, environmental protection, and disinformation and cyber threats.
The event was also marked by the active involvement of the German Federal Foreign Office, which has been a long-time supporter of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum. Participants heard the German Federal Foreign Office’s expectations for the Berlin Process Summit thanks to input from Kamila Wensierska-Łajca, Desk Officer for the Berlin Process at the German Federal Foreign Office. Before the event concluded, civil society leaders received comments on their recommendations from Valeska Esch, Senior Advisor to the Federal Government Special Representative for the Countries of the Western Balkans.
Participants discussed how the future of the Berlin Process should better reflect their priorities and put forward their own ideas for possible changes to the Process. The final recommendations will offer solutions to policymakers, civil society, and other regional actors which address “low-hanging fruit” as well as more ambitious or long-term measures. In advance of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum, civil society rapporteurs are currently drafting recommendations and preparing for panel discussions, which will present the recommendations to decision-makers and the public in the lead-up to the Berlin Process Summit.
