As the pandemic heightened the crisis of democracy in the Balkans, and the effects of the Ukraine war are yet to be seen in the region, it is evident that our societies face a turning point for their democratic development. The role of the civil society in driving positive change is now important more than ever, but in order to maintain and strengthen its role in our region, civil society has to find new ways of working and responding to the numerous challenges amplified by the economic and social recession.

By now, we are all aware that cracking civic space is a trend, and populists use the same methods around the globe, but our role is to demonstrate that civic space cannot be closed if we open up to new models, methods, partnerships so that no voice is left behind. We must defend the civic space by mobilizing citizens support and civic engagement, and investing in partnerships and coalitions with stakeholders other than the usual for achieving common goals. While aware of the challenges, we move forward in connecting, testing, and exploring new opportunities.