Advancing Regional Cooperation for Social Cohesion in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus

How can countries and communities strengthen trust, inclusion and cooperation at a time of rapid political, economic and social change? This interactive workshop will bring together practitioners, policymakers, civil society leaders and regional partners to explore how stronger regional cooperation can help connect, scale and sustain social cohesion efforts across Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus. 

The discussion comes at a critical moment, as societies across the region navigate the consequences of conflict and displacement, governance and economic transitions, demographic change, pressures on civic space and evolving relationships between citizens and institutions. Rather than focusing only on challenges, the session will showcase practical experience and solutions. The workshop will then move into interactive regional breakout discussions covering the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus. 

Participants will examine three concrete priorities: financing social cohesion, strengthening regional programming, and supporting civic space and civil society capacities. The objective is action-oriented: to identify practical opportunities for collaboration, joint programming, peer learning and resource mobilization, and to build stronger connections among organizations working to foster more inclusive, resilient and peaceful societies across the region.