On 26 September 2024, the closing conference of the Active Citizens Fund – Regional Programme took place at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. Below you can find a brief overview of the event, presentations and photos.
The Programme has provided support to 511 non-governmental organisations for the implementation of 371 projects across Poland during its 4 years of operation. The projects concerned human rights protection, Promoting social diversity and preventing exclusion, building democratic culture and civic engagement at local level, and supporting the development of civic sector. Almost EUR 26.5 million was allocated to the Programme.
See the presentation summarising the Programme
We were holding the conference with the theme of ‘Open, democratic, green’, referring to the slogan of the Norwegian and EEA Funds, which contribute to the co-creation of a more inclusive, democratic and green Europe.
The conference was attended by guests representing the Donor States. We were honored by Friðrik Jónsson – the Ambassador of Iceland to Poland, and Anna Striethorst – representative of the Financial Mechanisms Office in Brussels.
During the event, we presented the key figures and achievements of the four years of the Programme, and there was an open conversation (‘fishbowl’) about the Programme. During two sessions with presentations of good practices, representatives of the NGOs – grantees of the Programme presented their projects.
At expert tables, we discussed international cooperation of organisations, working with people with disabilities, senior citizen policy, artificial intelligence tools in the activities of NGOs, cooperation between organisations and business, and youth involvement in local community affairs. The conference also featured workshops on innovative methods of working in organisations and countering discrimination and violence against older people. In a panel discussion, we encouraged the participants to talk about the situation of young organisations and what support they need to act effectively for their community.
Topics discussed during the conference included:
- What projects have the organisations – grantees implemented and what are their results?
- What problems of people, social groups and local communities in Poland have the EEA Grants and Norway Grants helped to solve?
- How can the experience of the Programme be used in the further development of civil society in Poland??
View the detailed programme of the conference
View the photos
Photos: Karolina Szczepocka
Event partner: Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN.
Media patron: portal ngo.pl.
