Office for Cooperation with Civil Society and Belgrade Open School successfully organized third regional conference "Move. Link. Engage. Rethinking Europe and Western Balkans, on September 18-19th, 2017 in Belgrade.

The conference brought together representatives of civil society organizations and state institutions from the country and the region, as well as representatives of media, researchers and activists, with the aim of promoting and encouraging a regional approach in solving common social problems, as well as contributing to reforms in the process of European integrations of the region.

Issues of the role of civil society and the extent to which it contributes to regional cooperation and the process of European integrations, the future of Europe and our perspective when it comes to the enlargement of the European Union (EU), as well as the Berlin Process, has been discussed in several panels during these two days.

Among panelists that discussed these topics were H.E. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Serbia, Dr. Tanja Miščević, Head of the Negotiating Team for Negotiating Serbia's Accession to the EU, Mrs. Biljana Borzan, Member of the European Parliament, Mr. Jeremy Lang of the Embassy of Great Britain in Serbia, and other experts covering issues of enlargement of the EU, civil society, energy, climate and environment and regional youth cooperation, as specific thematic areas of the conference.

During the first day of the conference, participants had the opportunity to hear more about the EU program Europe for Citizens, for which the Office is a national contact point, as well as to exchange biographies of their CSOs and get acquainted with the activities of their colleagues from the Western Balkans region through speed dating, exchange ideas and create partnerships during a workshop dedicated to developing project ideas within the Europe for Citizens Program. The workshop was attended by representatives from 32 civil society organizations from Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the official opening of the conference, Director of the Office, Mr. Zarko Stepanovic, said that this conference is an indicator of the importance of cooperation between the civil and public sector.

"I am convinced that this conference will show that civil society in the region has a significant potential and can influence the creation of a common European future," Stepanovic said. We will also talk about the possible ways in which civil society of the Western Balkans can "come together".

He emphasized that a public call for proposals for operational grants is opened until October 18, 2017, within the Europe for Citizens Program, and all those interested in applying are invited to contact the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society for all necessary information.

The conference was held with the support of the program "Europe for Citizens“ and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in the Republic of Serbia.