Civil Society Forums of the Western Balkans Summit Series

31/07/2025

After more than a year of collaboration, innovation, and engagement, we’re proud to announce the successful conclusion of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024.

This initiative fostered dialogue, built capacities, and supported impactful contributions from civil society organizations to the Berlin Process, an annual forum between leaders in the Western Balkans, EU member states, and the UK. Under the leadership of the Southeast Europe Association and Aspen Institute Germany, and with generous support from German Federal Foreign Office, it has been an incredible journey marked by shared learning and concrete policy ideas for the future – which you can still find on the forum’s website: https://wb-csf.eu/publications-csf/year/2025

We are excited to share that the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2025 has entered a new chapter under the stewardship of the British Council, who will take it forward with fresh energy and perspective. The Southeast Europe Association and Aspen Institute Germany will continue our engagement as the official Knowledge Partners of the forum.

To our partners, participants, and supporters: thank you. Your contributions made this work meaningful and lasting. Thank you also to our organizing team who shepherded this initiative. Onward to what’s next!

14/07/2025

Excited to share two pieces reflecting on the Berlin Process 2024 and suggesting priorities for the future!

Drawing on high-level discussions over the past year, the publication “Final Reflections: Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024-2025” succinctly analyzes the challenges and opportunities facing the Western Balkans – and how the Berlin Process can drive progress this year. This analysis by civil society working group leaders from the Western Balkans offers clearcut insights by outlining the key agreements, implementation gaps, and emerging opportunities which should be addressed by the Berlin Process in 2025. These takeaways build on high-level discussions convened by the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum over the past year, including a handover of policy recommendations to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and other Berlin Process leaders.

📄 Now available here: https://tinyurl.com/449z3m5b

Additionally, a new article by European Western Balkans highlights key takeaways from organizers of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024. Dr. Christian Hagemann, Executive Director of the Southeast Europe Association, and Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Germany, look back on what has worked, what remains challenging, and the crucial role of the civil society in driving progress for the Western Balkans.

🗣 Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/mv9t7etn

Working together with civil society from the Western Balkans, the Southeast Europe Association and Aspen Institute Germany have developed a policy recommendation process by convening over 125 civil society organizations at two large scale conferences and many more advocacy events. As organizers of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024, an official side forum of the Berlin Process, we would like to extend our gratitude to the German Federal Foreign Office for their generous support. Thank you also to the civil society organizations who led the working groups and contributed to the publication: IDSCS, YIHR Serbia, REACTOR – Research in Action, Riinvest Institute, RESET, PPNEA, and MMI.

27/01/2025

Looking Back: Key Publications and Videos from the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024!

An official side event of the Berlin Process, last year’s forum convened civil society representatives from over 130 organizations to develop ideas on the core issues facing the Western Balkans. We are pleased to share a few key outputs with you now!

📄 Policy Recommendations:
Discover insights from Western Balkan civil society which offer concrete ideas on key regional challenges. These outputs were presented to leaders at the Berlin Process Summit. Read more here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/2rtaf53v

📚 Mapping Study:
Marking the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Process, this study provides an overview and a roadmap for a decade of milestones, challenges, and opportunities for progress. Explore its findings here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/4553dkbd

📖 Conference Report:
If you want to dive deeper, you can now read the Conference Report, summarizing the main takeaways, featuring valuable insights and debates on each of the thematic areas of the recommendations and key discussions from the forum. Review the report here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/msjadwyr

🎥 Conference Videos:
If you missed the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum, now you can explore videos from each panel discussion! Dive into these engaging sessions to hear expert insights, thought-provoking debates, and the key takeaways from our esteemed speakers. Tune in here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/yjb6sc45]

As organizers of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024, the Southeast Europe Association and Aspen Institute Germany extend our heartfelt thanks to the German Federal Foreign Office for its generous support. The organizers are grateful for the study authors, Dr. Marika Djolai and Dr. Silvana Mojovska, and to our civil society rapporteurs. Thank you also to all the participants who enriched these publications and the forum with their expertise and experiences and made this year’s forum possible.

18/12/2024

As we approach the end of the year, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the milestones, insightful discussions, and impactful recommendations we’ve achieved in this year’s Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024, co-organized by the Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft e.V. and the Aspen Institute Germany.

✅ Stakeholder Consultation Survey
In the spring, we asked for input about the essential topics from civil society’s perspective to cover in the forthcoming Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024.
✅ Preparatory Forum in Skopje (July 9-11):
To kick off this year’s forum, we gathered 130 organizations into seven thematic working groups to discuss key issues facing the Western Balkans. Rapporteurs began developing the discussions into concrete policy recommendations.

✅ Stocktaking Study: 10 Years of the Berlin Process:
Marking the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Process, the forum commissioned a comprehensive study of the Berlin Process to provide a roadmap of initiatives, milestones, and challenges. Read the study ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/4553dkbd

✅ Advocacy Meetings:
Rapporteurs presented recommendations and received feedback with key government stakeholders through several bilateral meetings throughout the fall. Read the recommendations ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/2rtaf53v

✅ Sherpas Meeting:
In the lead-up to the Berlin Process Summit in October, we convened the forum’s rapporteurs with Berlin Process sherpas from the Western Balkans and special representatives from Germany and Norway to discuss policy ideas.

✅ Foreign Ministers Meeting:
Representatives of the forum presented recommendations to the foreign ministers and special envoys assembled from all Berlin Process partner countries, the European Commission, and the European Union Council.

✅ Civil Society and Think Tank Forum in Berlin (October 9-11):
For the marquee event of the forum, we brought civil society from 130 organizations to discuss their recommendations with gov representatives on the sidelines of the Berlin Process Summit, as well as w/ the Youth Forum & Business Forum.

✅ Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit:
Civil society at the Berlin Process Summit! We personally handed policy recommendations to the presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors in a defining moment of this year’s forum.

✅ Stocktaking Studies in Dialogue:
Continuing our activities, we discussed our stocktaking study with insightful studies reflecting on the Berlin Process’ 10th anniversary from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and Berlin Economics.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the German Federal Foreign Office for its generous support. We also thank our rapporteurs, IDSCS, YIHR Serbia, REACTOR, Riinvest Institute, RESET, PPNEA, and the Montenegro Media Institute, and the authors of our stocktaking study, Dr. Marika Djolai and Dr. Silvana Mojsovska.

This initiative continues in 2025! We’re excited to build on these achievements as we look to follow-ups, advocacy, and an official handover event next year.

11/12/2024

A big thank you to everyone who joined the virtual panel discussion on “Taking Stock of the Berlin Process 10th Anniversary: Mapping Successes, Challenges, and the Future,” hosted by the Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft e.V. and the Aspen Institute Germany as part of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2024, with support from the Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office).

It was an honor to hear from the brilliant authors behind the key studies marking this milestone: Dr. Marika Djolai, Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Dr. Silvana Mojsovska, and Marie-Aimée Salopiata, whose expertise and insights provided a comprehensive overview of the Berlin Process's achievements, challenges, and next steps.

With moderation by Dr. Christian Hagemann and Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, the panel tackled critical questions, including:
- What are the major milestones and successes of the Berlin Process?
- What have been its greatest stumbling blocks?
- What should be changed in the next cycle of the Berlin Process?

The exchange of ideas and reflections was both inspiring and insightful, and it was a privilege to explore the results of these important studies. Please find the full studies here:

“Stocktaking Study on 10 Years of the Berlin Process,” authored by Marika Djolai and Silvana Mojsovska, commissioned by the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum: https://wb-csf.eu/publications-csf/stocktaking-study-10-years-of-the-berlin-process

“Missing Gender Perspectives in the Berlin Process,” authored by Marie Jelenka Kirchner for the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation: https://kvinnatillkvinna.org/publications/missing-gender-perspectives-in-the-berlin-process/

“10 years Berlin Process. Economic development in the Western Balkans since 2014,” contributed by Marie-Aimée Salopiata for Berlin Economics: https://www.german-economic-team.com/en/publication/10-years-berlin-process-economic-development-in-the-western-balkans-since-2014/

A special thank you to all participants, panelists, and organizers for making this event a success!

11/12/2024

Happening now: our virtual stocktaking event on the 10th anniversary! Authors Dr. Marika Djolai, Dr. Silvana Mojsovska, Marie Jelenka Kirchner, and Marie-Aimée Salopiata are speaking about studies published this year. Find the link below 🔗

14/10/2024

At the Berlin Process Summit - Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen receive recommendations from the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024.

What a fantastic opportunity for civil society to present recommendations directly to leaders!

11/10/2024

The final day of the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024 brought critical discussions on reconciliation and disinformation. As we wrap up the forum, today’s panels focused on addressing the challenges of rebuilding trust and empowering the youth to shape the future of the .

Panel 6: Dealing with the Past and Reconciliation
This session focused on reconciliation efforts in the , exploring how the region can move forward from historical conflicts to foster peace and stability.
- Sofija Todorović, Director, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Serbia
- Ambassador (ret.) Dr. Joachim Rücker, Former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo, Former President of the U.N. Human Rights Council
- Nataša Kandić, Founder of the Humanitarian Law Centre

Panel 7: Disinformation and Cyber Threats
The discussion addressed the growing challenges of disinformation and cyber threats, and explored solutions to enhance digital resilience and media literacy in the region.
- Olivera Nikolić, Director, Montenegro Media Institute (MMI)
- H.E. Tamara Vujović, Minister of Culture and Media
- Kateryna Kruk, Regional Public Policy Lead Central and Eastern Europe, Meta
- Zoё van Doren, Policy Advisor for Global Digitalisation and Innovation, Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom
- Christian Hagemann, Executive Director, Southeast Europe Association

Spotlight 4: Young Perspectives – How to Make a Difference?
This session highlighted the critical role of youth in shaping the future of the Western Balkans, with young leaders sharing their insights on how to drive democratic and societal change.
- H.E. Prof. Dr. Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation
- H.E. Bora Muzhaqi, Minister of State for Youth and Children
- Envera Moro, Cultural Worker
- Ensara Reci, RYCO Local Program Officer in Albania
- Lazar Simić, Student, Media Worker, Researcher and Activist
- Adrian Flaig, Member of the Managing Board, Albanian Student and Academics Stuttgart
- Adelheid Feilcke, Director of Programs for Europe, Deutsche Welle

11/10/2024

It is an exciting last day of the Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024! Join us today for meaningful discussions about dealing with the past, disinformation and cyber threats, and rising generations: livestream link

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10/10/2024

An exciting Day 2 of the Berlin Process Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024 comes to an end, and many important topics were discussed:

It started with a conversation between Ambassador Michael Reiffenstuel and Valbona Zeneli about regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.

The second panel explored how the enhances EU integration efforts, with key insights from Zoran Nechev, Maida Gorcevic, René Troccaz, Anja Wallau, and Wojciech Kowalski, moderated by Christian Hagemann.

On Panel 3, Tania Ivanova., Edi Gusia, Julia Koch - de Biolley, Dušan Maljković discussed the topic of gender equality and diversity, moderated by Maja Stajcic Riza Aragon.

Panel 4 addressed energy, climate change, and decarbonization challenges, featuring Denis Zisko, Borche Dimitrovski, Adam Cwetsch, and Sebastian Leuschner, moderated by Verena Allert.

In the following workshop phase, participants explored how to enable spaces for civil society listening to exciting inputs and engaging in fruitful discussions. A big Thank You to our moderators and experts!

Panel 5 examined the balance between environmental protection and economic growth, with contributions from Aleksander Trajce, Eva Kracht, Lindita Shakiri, Fationa Cinaj, Genci Nimanbegu, and moderator Katja Giebel.

The following third spotlight panel concluded the day. With moderation by Andi Hoxhaj OBE, Vigan Qorrolli, Desislava Gotskova, LLM, Reinhard Priebe, and Nemanja Nenadić talked about the important cross-cutting topic of rule of law and anti-corruption, highlighting key challenges in the Western Balkans.



-Gesellschaft e.V.

10/10/2024

An exciting Day 2 of the Berlin Process Civil Society & Think Tank Forum 2024 comes to an end, and many important topics were discussed:

It started with a conversation between Ambassador Michael Reiffenstuel and Valbona Zeneli about regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.

The second panel explored how the enhances EU integration efforts, with key insights from Zoran Nechev, Maida Gorcevic, René Troccaz, Anja Wallau, and Wojciech Kowalski, moderated by Christian Hagemann.

On Panel 3, Tania Ivanova., Edi Gusia, Julia Koch - de Biolley, Dušan Maljković discussed the topic of gender equality and diversity, moderated by Maja Stajcic Riza Aragon.

Panel 4 addressed energy, climate change, and decarbonization challenges, featuring Denis Zisko, Borche Dimitrovski, Adam Cwetsch, and Sebastian Leuschner, moderated by Verena Allert.

In the following workshop phase, participants explored how to enable spaces for civil society listening to exciting inputs and engaging in fruitful discussions. A big Thank You to our moderators and experts!

Panel 5 examined the balance between environmental protection and economic growth, with contributions from Aleksander Trajce, Eva Kracht, Lindita Shakiri, Fationa Cinaj, Genci Nimanbegu, and moderator Katja Giebel.

The following third spotlight panel concluded the day. With moderation by Andi Hoxhaj OBE, Vigan Qorrolli, Desislava Gotskova, LLM, Reinhard Priebe, and Nemanja Nenadić talked about the important cross-cutting topic of rule of law and anti-corruption, highlighting key challenges in the Western Balkans.



Aspen Institute Germany
Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft e.V.