Approximately 80 civil society professionals, representing nearly 60 organizations and grant programs from dozens of European countries, will gather in Pécs for the fifth (Re)Building Democracy conference on June 17 and 18. The Power of Humanity Foundation has been organizing this international professional gathering since 2022, and the event has now become an important meeting place for organizations, experts, and donors working to develop the civil society sector in Central Europe.
The foundation launched this event, which focuses on the challenges facing the civil society sector in Central-Eastern Europe, to create an opportunity for stakeholders in international support programs, representatives, implementers, and beneficiaries of various government, intergovernmental, and private funding sources to directly share their experiences, assess domestic and international trends, and seek solutions to funding challenges. Thanks to the conference’s interactive nature, it has become an important channel of communication between donors and grantees.
“Will it ever be the same again?”—that is the question posed by this year’s conference. “Is there a chance we can return to democracy’s ‘golden age,’ or do we need to build a new social order?” —explained András Nyirati, president of the Power of Humanity Foundation, regarding the choice of the central theme. “Will the era of autocratic leaders come to an end, and can we expect liberal democracy to grow stronger, or must we prepare for something we do not yet know? In the coming days, we will seek answers to what society will look like after illiberal regimes, what role civil society organizations will play in this transformation, and what the civil sphere will look like at all.”
The organizers are convinced that a strong, independent civil sector is one of the prerequisites for a well-functioning democracy. Globally, the capacity of civil society is declining while its vulnerability is increasing, especially as we look toward rural areas and smaller, local organizations. That is why they pay special attention to rural civil society every year, it is no coincidence that they organize the conference outside the Hungarian capital.
“At the conference, we’ll take time to get to know one another and create a space for honest conversations. There’s a delicate relationship of trust between donors and grantees, so it’s important to make room for constructive feedback. We’ll share our experiences, professional insights, and personal stories. This way, grantees can better understand what grant administrators need, and donors can gain tangible experience that they can incorporate into their grantmaking practices,” added Bendegúz Tikász, the conference coordinator, explaining why community building is just as important as ensuring professional quality.
In addition to grant policy, a different topical issue takes center stage each year. Last year, the focus was on cross-border cooperation. Participants were encouraged to look beyond the country’s physical borders and cross the boundaries separating sectors, social groups, and information bubbles to discuss how different actors can work together to strengthen civil society.
The Power of Humanity Foundation’s indispensable partners in organizing the (Re)Building Democracy conference are the Aspect Group, the Civil College Foundation, the NIOK Foundation, and the Ökotárs Foundation, this year’s event was supported by the European Union and the Norwegian Civil Society Fund.