Project Title: Regional Ownership of Our Tomorrow: Citizens and Civil Society Growing EU Values in the Western Balkans (ROOT WB)
Duraton: 24 months
Objectives
The general objective is to strengthen the enabling environment for civil society in Western Balkan countries by enhancing civic engagement, supporting democratic participation, and promoting EU values through regional cooperation and dialogue. The specific objectives are:
- Promote active citizenship and civic engagement, particularly among youth, women, and underrepresented groups at local, national, and regional levels.
- Enhance CSO capacities to defend civic space, advocate for reforms, and represent citizens’ rights.
- Facilitate regional cooperation and exchange of best practices between CSOs, local authorities, and EU partners to foster cross-border civic alliances.
- Improve public understanding of EU values, rights, and institutions, in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- Establish participatory policy-making mechanisms to integrate citizen input into both local governance and EU-related processes.
Partners
The consortium includes organizations from the Western Balkans and EU Member States:
- Udruzenje Agencija lokalne demokratije iz Mostara (LDA Mostar) – Bosnia and Herzegovina
- European Association for Local Democracy – France
- European Movement of North Macedonia (EMMK) – North Macedonia
- Albanian Center for Education Care and Training (ACT Center)- Albania
- Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM) – Montenegro
- Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS) – Based in France/Regional
- Local Democracy Agency Sisak (LDA Sisak) – Croatia
- Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) – Serbia
We are thrilled to announce that the ACT Center recently participated in the kick-off conference for our newest initiative, ROOT WB. Held on March 12, 2026, in the historic city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the event brought together a dynamic cohort of partners, including four fellow representative organizations from Albania.
The ROOT WB project, funded by the European Union, is dedicated to driving systemic change by innovating the ways in which civil society and citizens interact with governance.
The conference served as a platform for deep-dive discussions on the essential pillars of the project:
- Civic Engagement: Exploring democratic innovations and strengthening the role of citizens in direct decision-making processes.
- Civic Space: Focusing on the protection of rights for marginalized groups and the overall empowerment of civil society organizations.
- European Values: Exchanging best practices for cross-border cooperation within the Western Balkans to foster regional stability and growth.
Following the public conference, the Steering Committee met on March 13 to transition from vision to action. During this session, project partners presented detailed work packages and outlined the concrete steps required for the successful implementation of our joint initiatives.
Stay tuned for more updates as we begin this journey toward a more engaged and inclusive governance model in our region!
