The Civic Resource Centre continues to organise open days across the country, aiming to engage more closely with civil society organisations and provide direct support at the local level. On June 12, a meeting was held with local organisations in Radovish, creating a space for direct communication, the exchange of experiences, and discussions regarding the challenges and opportunities for civil society development at the local level.
Stole Georgiev, the regional expert for the Southeast Planning Region, informed attendees about the advisory and mentoring support available to organisations in the region. Meanwhile, Valentina Velichkovska, Executive Director of the Civic Resource Centre, presented the current state of civil society, opportunities for its further development, programs for strengthening organisational capacities, and available funding opportunities.
During the open discussion, participants addressed the needs and challenges facing local organisations, emphasizing the importance of tailoring future support to the actual needs of organisations in the region.
The positive reactions from participants confirmed the value of such meetings.
Georgi A. Kochev from the "Samun i Kadinka" Cultural Heritage Protection Center in Radovish highlighted that such initiatives make a significant contribution to establishing the civil sector as an important corrective and educational force in society. "We view the initiatives to hold joint meetings of the non-governmental sector—which share the common goal of establishing themselves in social life as a vital corrective and educational factor—very positively. It is particularly significant that these activities are supported by domestic and international partners who contribute to the development of the civil sector through educational, logistical, and financial support," Kochev stated.
Kristijan Trajchov emphasized that such meetings are particularly important for the development of the organisations involved. "Meetings of this type are always welcome for non-governmental organisations, as they offer an excellent opportunity to strengthen capacities, exchange knowledge and experience, and establish new partnerships and networks. They contribute to better cooperation, the development of new initiatives, and more effective ways of addressing challenges within the civil sector," Trajchov noted.
Oliver Bojadjiev from GKC "KREA" – Radovish also highlighted the benefits of the services offered by the Civic Resource Centre. "The advisory services, mentoring support, and capacity-building opportunities offered by the Civic Resource Centre are extremely beneficial for local organisations. Such support helps them plan and implement their activities more successfully, enhance their capacities, and fulfill their functions more efficiently for the benefit of the community," Bojadjiev noted.
Evgenija Doneva from ADMELIORA also shared a positive experience from the event, emphasizing the importance of direct cooperation with the regional expert. "The open day provided a valuable opportunity for direct communication, information exchange, and learning about the support offered by the Civic Resource Centre. We particularly welcome the opportunity for direct collaboration with the regional civil society expert. We believe that his presence in the field and his mentoring support will be a significant asset for organisations as they strengthen their capacities, develop new initiatives, and build sustainable partnerships," Doneva stated. She added that such meetings foster greater connectivity among local organisations, encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience, and open up new opportunities for joint action in the interest of local communities, expressing the hope that these activities would continue in the future.
The event was organised within the project "EU Support to the Civil Society Resource Centre – Phase 2," funded by the European Union and implemented by the Foundation Civic Resource Centre, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation, the Association for Democratic Initiatives – Gostivar, and Media Plus – Shtip.
