Moldova’s civil society plays an important role in influencing the process of taking political and economic decisions. In the country’s history, there are enough examples when civil society beneficially intervened in affairs of public interest and prevented deviations by the power, President Nicolae Timofti said in the opening of the first International Festival CIVIC FEST, IPN reports.
According to the head of state, civil society showed courage and civic conscience and contributes to building democracy. Now the role of civil society is important in establishing large social cohesion in the name of the country’s pro-European project. Nicolae Timofti announced that a Civil Society Council will be set up under the President.
First secretary of the Embassy of Sweden in Chisinau Paola Albornoz said the Moldovan civil society is powerful and independent and represents the voice of the people. On its path to European integration, Moldova made important progress, while the NGOs’ contribution to achieving these results is substantial. Sweden announced it is ready to offer financial support to Moldova, while civil society must set its work priorities in this respect.
Doraja Eberle, president of the Board of ERSTE Foundation, Austria, said the financial challenges are those that prevail in the activity of civil society organizations. Most of the times the legislation is not perfect, but the wish to improve things is much greater than these difficulties. The NGOs from all the countries face similar problems. Some of the states found solutions to them, while others did not. This international festival aims to ensure an exchange of good practices and civil dialogue and initiatives for the people’s benefit.
Silvia Munteanu, representative of AIDS Foundation East-West in Chisinau, who took part in the festival, has told IPN that this event is of major importance. “The experience exchange and sharing of good practices are beneficial,” she said, underlining the lack of continuous financing for the projects implemented by civil society. Many of these projects are financed from outside and are limited to a certain period, but they can produce palpable results if they continue to be implemented.
The International Festival CIVIC FEST brought together over 80 NGOs from all over the country. The event is taking place in Chisinau on October 29 - 31 and centers on three areas: culture and the mass media in Moldova; justice and the social transformations and how the NGOs can support the democratic and social changes, and social entrepreneurship – social inclusion and community development. The event is organized by the public association Synergetica Eur/Est with the support of East-Europe Foundation and the Governments of Sweden and Denmark.
