On May 7–8, 2025, a two-day conference was held, organized by the “NGO Center” Civil Society Development NGO with the support of the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ). The event, implemented within the framework of the “Institutional Capacity Development for CSOs” program, was titled “Dialogue for Progress” and conducted using the Open Space methodology.
The aim of the event was to create a platform for communication, dialogue, and collaboration among representatives of civil society organizations, state institutions, the private sector, media, and educational institutions. The forum enabled participants from various sectors to engage in open and participatory discussions on barriers to cross-sectoral cooperation, share experiences, and develop joint solution proposals.
On the first day of the forum, CSO sector researcher Tatevik Margaryan delivered a keynote speech, addressing challenges and opportunities related to the civil society environment and cooperation, as identified in recent research.
Throughout the day, two active sessions were held where participants, grouped by self-proposed topics, discussed key issues, united around shared interests, and established connections for future collaboration.
On the second day, participants presented the outcomes of their discussions and were introduced to a guide developed based on the discussions. A panel discussion on “Cross-sectoral Cooperation and Dialogue” followed, where representatives from various civil society organizations shared their insights and good practices.
The event was organized as part of the Institutional Capacity Development for CSOs component, The “Institutional Capacity Building measures for CSOs” program component is implemented within the framework of the “Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries” program, as a service provided by the “NGO Center” civil society development NGO.
The project is implemented by the GIZ with co-financing from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union.