News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Short Description: Within the Hartefakt project “Culture for Democracy” (CfD), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, applications are open for grants supporting job shadowing, internships, and on-the-job training in the fields of culture and arts. The programme aims to strengthen the capacities of cultural professionals and organisations in Serbia through peer learning,
Read more →Short Description: MCIC has launched the 2026 Carol Bellamy Leadership Award, supporting women and women-led organisations working at the intersection of women’s empowerment and prevention of violent extremism (P/CVE). Established by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), the award provides financial support for local initiatives focused on leadership development, strengthening women-led organisations, and supporting
Read more →Short Description: Western Balkans Fund and Open Society Foundation Western Balkans have launched the first edition of the Regional Academy on Dialogue and Culture of Cooperation, a new initiative bringing together junior professionals and emerging leaders from across the Western Balkans. The programme aims to strengthen regional cooperation, democratic values, intercultural dialogue, and peacebuilding through
Read more →Short Description: Heinrich Böll Foundation has launched the Global Majority AI Fellowship 2026 to support stronger participation of Global South civil society experts in international AI governance discussions. The fellowship will support participation in the first United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance, taking place in Geneva in July 2026, focusing on issues such as
Read more →Short Description: Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) has launched the InvigoratEU public contest “What Future for the European Continent?”, inviting citizens, students, and young professionals to share creative perspectives on Europe’s future and EU enlargement. Participants can submit essays, poetry, or audiovisual works exploring topics such as European security, competitiveness, resilience, and the benefits
Read more →Short Description: Transparency International School on Integrity is an intensive anti-corruption and accountability training programme bringing together future leaders from public, private, non-governmental, and academic sectors. The programme focuses on transparency, integrity, anti-corruption, and democratic governance through expert sessions, peer learning, and practical training. Target Group: Senior students, graduates, and young professionals. Countries: Open internationally Location: Vilnius, Lithuania and online Duration: 13–17 July 2026 Deadline: 1 June 2026 Link to more information (Transparency
Read more →Short Description: Presentation and discussion event focused on LGBTQI+ workplace rights in North Macedonia, including the launch of the policy paper Safety Is Political: Advancing LGBTQI+ Workplace Rights in North Macedonia. The event will bring together institutions, trade unions, businesses, international partners, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to discuss safety, equality, dignity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Read more →Short Description: The Metamorphosis Foundation project “Initiating Adult Learning Programmes for Artificial Intelligence” aims to strengthen the capacities of adult educators, trainers, and education practitioners to integrate AI literacy into adult learning programmes. The training will focus on both professional and everyday applications of AI, including productivity, employability, ethical use, risks, benefits, and digital citizenship competencies. Selected participants will take part
Read more →Short Description: THE:PLACE is a collaborative exchange and capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening cooperation between CSOs in Türkiye, the EU, and enlargement countries through participatory approaches, local democracy, and civic engagement. The programme focuses on enhancing CSO capacities for collaboration with local authorities, peer learning, project development, and international networking, with particular interest in initiatives related to climate adaptation, digitalisation, and citizen participation. Selected organisations will participate in networking,
Read more →Short Description: The CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy (DILA) is a three-month, part-time, English-language leadership programme designed for a new generation of public leaders in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. The hybrid programme combines residential sessions in Budapest with online learning and focuses on democratic governance, civic participation, democratic resilience, leadership skills, negotiation, mobilisation, and public policy challenges
Read more →Short Description: Democracy Re:Boot Camp is a fully funded, in-person pan-European programme designed to strengthen democratic resilience by bringing together 30 young democracy builders for practical skills training, strategic learning, peer exchange, and experiential work. The second edition will take place on the island of Cres, Croatia, and is intended for participants already active in democracy-related work who want to
Read more →Short Description: The Western Balkans Fund (WBF) invites civil society organisations to apply for a peer-to-peer capacity-building programme combining study visits to EU organisations, residential training, mentoring, and local knowledge-sharing activities to strengthen organisational resilience and cooperation. Target Group: CSOs based in the Western Balkans, each nominating two experienced representatives. Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
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