- June 03, 2025
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- June 03, 2025
On June 3rd, 2025, “Continuity and Transition: A Multi-Stakeholder Evaluation Dialogue” convened civil society experts from the Western Balkans, Berlin Process side forum organizers, stakeholders from the German and U.K. governments, and other experts to conclude the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024, which was co-organized with the Southeast Europe Association and generously supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.
An official side forum of the Berlin Process since 2015, the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024 amplified perspectives from Western Balkan and EU civil society and engaged decision makers with concrete policy recommendations. Ahead of the Berlin Process Summit in October 2024, 125 civil society organizations convened in Skopje in July 2024 to develop recommendations, which were later publicly discussed at the Civil Society Forum in Berlin in October 2024. In a major highlight, civil society representatives presented and discussed recommendations with leaders at the Berlin Process Summit on October 14, 2024, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
To conclude an impactful and successful year of the Civil Society Forum, the “Multi-Stakeholder Evaluation Dialogue” enabled participants to reflect on the previous year’s achievements and set the stage for the Berlin Process and Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2025. The event greatly benefited from input by seven civil society rapporteurs as well as German and UK government representatives. The event provided civil society and government stakeholders with a platform to reflect on the previous year’s policy recommendations and the state of their implementation, sharing unique insights and best practices. Participation by the organizers of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2025 also supported a ceremonial transition of the forum as the new organizers and hosts hope to build upon the momentum generated by this initiative last year.
