In March, around 150 participants, including representatives from over 90 grantee partners and from over 30 foundations, gathered in Bruges for the first Civitates Forum, a new convening designed to strengthen collaboration and shared learning across the European democracy ecosystem.
Held over four days, the Forum brought together organisations working across civic space, public-interest media, and technology & democracy — alongside philanthropic partners — to reflect on the challenges facing democracy in Europe and explore how to respond collectively.
“We created a space where our community could come together openly — to reflect, to challenge each other, and to think collectively about the future of democracy in Europe and our role in shaping it.”
Elisa Peter, Fund Director, Civitates
A unique, collaborative event
The Civitates Forum marked the first time the full Civitates community — spanning multiple sectors and geographies — gathered in one place, at a time when democratic decline is happening across Europe, and the world.
Participants included civil society organisations, independent media actors, and organisations working on digital accountability, alongside foundations supporting democratic resilience across Europe. This diversity of perspectives created a unique opportunity for exchange, connection and collaboration.
A defining feature of the Forum was its co-designed approach. Elements of the programme were shaped in collaboration with grantee partners, ensuring that the event responded directly to the needs, priorities and experiences of participants.
Across the Forum, participants engaged in a mix of plenary discussions, peer learning sessions, and collaborative formats designed to encourage dialogue and shared reflection.
“This was not a conference in the traditional sense. It was a co-created space, where participants brought their own experiences and expertise to the centre of the programme. That made the discussions richer, more grounded, and ultimately, we hope, more useful for everyone involved.”
Samuel Sigere, Programme Manager, Civitates
From experience to foresight
The Forum programme unfolded in three parts.
The Civil Society Forum focused on peer exchange among grantee partners, with sessions dedicated to sharing experiences from the ground, identifying emerging trends, and exploring opportunities for collaboration.
The second part, Democracy Futures, brought together both grantee and foundation partners for a foresight exercise. This provided a structured opportunity to explore possible future scenarios for democracy in Europe and consider how collective strategies might evolve in response.
The foresight process drew on the diverse expertise of participants and encouraged them to think beyond immediate challenges, combining practical experience with long-term strategic reflection.
“The foresight exercise was a particularly valuable part of the Forum. It brought together people with deep knowledge of their contexts to imagine different futures for European democracy, and to think through what actions we can take today to shape those outcomes.”
Maria Guerra-Arias, Impact & Learning Manager, Civitates
The Forum concluded with the Civitates General Assembly, where foundation partners reflected on insights from the previous days and considered how these could inform future strategic direction.
Strengthening solidarity and collaboration
Throughout the Forum, a central focus was on strengthening relationships and strategic alignment across the Civitates community, at a time when threats to fundamental liberties, media capture and polarisation are intensifying across Europe.
By bringing together organisations that do not often have the opportunity to meet — across sectors, countries and disciplines — the Forum created space for new connections, deeper understanding, and the development of shared approaches.
Despite the complexity of the challenges discussed, participants highlighted the value of coming together in a spirit of openness and mutual support.
“At a time when many organisations are working under pressure, creating spaces for connection and solidarity is more important than ever. The Forum showed the strength of this community, and the potential we have when we work together.”
Elisa Peter, Fund Director, Civitates
Looking ahead
The first Civitates Forum was conceived as a milestone moment within the organisation’s current strategy (2023–2028), but also as a starting point for scaling up collaboration, impact and learning across the European democracy field at a time of increasing pressure on democratic institutions and actors.
Over the four days, participants generated new ideas, built new relationships, and developed a shared understanding of the challenges ahead — but also of the scale and urgency of the response required. There was clear recognition that existing efforts, while impactful, must be strengthened and expanded, and of the critical role that philanthropy, alongside civil society and other actors, must play in supporting more coordinated, ambitious and sustained efforts to defend democracy.
The Forum demonstrated the value of convening a diverse community around common goals — and the role that collective insight, shared inspiration and collaborative innovation can play in defending and renewing democratic life in Europe.
