May 9: Europe Day – European foundations strengthen the democratic civil society
The organisations that make up the civil society are essential threads in the fabric of a democracy. To support them, 17 foundations from Europe and the United States have come together to create the Civitates Fund, which will be chaired by the King Baudouin Foundation.
These foundations have acquired considerable experience in strengthening democracies, and they refuse to stand by passively as democracy comes under pressure in Europe.
The Civitates Fund therefore aims to support civil society organisations to play their democratic role of bringing citizens together, informing them and giving them a voice. They form a buffer against the erosion of values such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law. In many EU countries, however, the civil society’s right to exist is open to debate, the regulatory framework is being tightened, opportunities for funding are being restricted, access to policymakers is being blocked and the scope to participate in the debate is being narrowed.
On Europe Day, when the ‘birth’ of the united Europe is celebrated, the King Baudouin Foundation wishes to draw attention to the calls for projects through which the Civitates Fund is seeking to encourage civil society organisations to form coalitions, and for which it is making 1.6 million euros available.
In the first phase, small partnerships (three organisations) can receive support allowing them to enter into alliances in the short term with more organisations – within Belgium but working across the boundaries between different sectors. Applications for this are welcome until 15 June. After the summer there will be a second phase in which these coalitions can receive support with projects that will bring together their organisational resources and expertise to improve their effectiveness in representing and defending citizens and their rights.
More information about the call Civitates Fund
Contact
Erika Racquet
Communication Officer-Press relations
02-549 02 56 – 0477 77 88 02
racquet.e@kbs-frb.be
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