New energy for the new phase of Civica Mobilitas

More than 170 representatives from civil society organizations participated in this year’s Networking Meeting of Civica Mobilitas, held on June 8 and 9, 2023, in Skopje. This once again confirmed the reputation of this event as the largest gathering of the civil sector in the country.

“When the country faces multiple crises, as is the case with North Macedonia, the role of civil society becomes even more important,” said the Swiss Ambassador, Veronique Hulman. She emphasized that Switzerland’s support for civil society will continue through Civica Mobilitas over the next 3.5 years but will not stop with the conclusion of Civica Mobilitas. “It is important for Switzerland to see the role of civil organizations in improving good governance, providing services, raising awareness, etc.,” she added.

Participants discussed the achievements they have made with the support of Civica Mobilitas and the changes that have occurred as a result of these achievements. In this way, everyone became more aware of their contributions to changes in Macedonian society and the magnitude of the efforts made by the civil sector. Considering the various actions and themes that grantees have worked on, it was an excellent opportunity for them to listen to each other and be inspired for future partnerships and initiatives. The Civica Mobilitas team set up an exhibition showcasing the achievements of grantees from the last phase, and participants had the chance to view and vote for those that made the best impression. According to them, the greatest achievements of Civica Mobilitas so far have been in the area of social inclusion.

The new phase of Civica Mobilitas was presented. “As we begin the final phase of Civica Mobilitas, we will lead it in a way that institutionalizes most of the products we created in previous phases,” said Aleksandar Kržalovski, director of the MCMS and leader of the Civica Mobilitas team. “The focus will be on advocacy that should provoke visible and measurable changes in the coming years,” he added. One of the main commitments will remain the increase of the funding pool for civil organizations by the state, which the Government itself has committed to with the adoption of the latest Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society.

Part of the presentation of the new phase included new grants, for which an initial discussion and consultation was held with attendees. The Civica Mobilitas team announced that the two new types of grants would focus on partnerships, with details to be discussed immediately after the calls are announced. In that sense, on the second day, networking was organized in a more structured way. Divided thematically, participants had the opportunity to discuss among themselves, strengthen existing partnerships, and establish relationships that would lead to new ones.

The Civica Mobilitas team was pleased to hear that most attendees had established new relationships with colleagues from the sector, which is indeed the goal of this Networking Meeting. The Networking Meeting itself was rated as creative, useful, and interesting. We believe that the relationships established here will continue and lead to many joint initiatives that will further social changes, improving the lives of end users, the citizens.