A total of 23 inspiring young individuals from the South Caucasus and Moldova, including from the conflict affected regions, convened in the third edition of the Change Makers Forum organised by the EU-funded Project EU4Dialogue.
The Forum took place in Finland, from 26 April to 1 May 2024, and focused on contributing to desirable changes in the participants’ communities, and on designing and executing engaging and targeted communication to enhance the impact of Change Makers’ community actions. Key focus was also to provide a safe space for dialogue and sharing of experiences.
Through interactive trainings and practical workshops participants learned how to design and implement targeted communication and utilize mobile technology. The change makers also gained insight in planning calls for action and learned how to create their own related videos.
“The Change Makers Forum promotes positive transformation, providing young participants from the South Caucasus and Moldova with new tools to design impactful community actions and to communicate effectively. The EU-funded Project is committed to promote dialogue, cooperation and sustainable development and we are proud to empower our Change Makers participants.” stated Tanja Tamminen, Team Leader of EU-funded Project EU4Dialogue, Component 1.
The Change Makers’ Forum is annually organised for participants, aged 18-30, coming from diverse backgrounds across the divides. In the past three Forums participants have explored a wide range of topics of common interest, from environmental sustainability to social inclusion and perspectives to peace-building. Together they have brainstormed on impactful solutions.
A broader group of change makers meets online on a monthly basis in order to maintain a robust network for joint discussions.
The EU-funded project “EU4Dialogue: Supporting Understanding Between Conflict Parties” is the first component of the broader EU4Dialogue Programme. It aims to facilitate dialogue and enhance understanding across divides by conducting studies, organising events, training, and workshops at various levels and in diverse settings for participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova. Implemented by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. in partnership with IDIS Viitorul (Republic of Moldova), IDP Women Association “Consent” (Georgia), Institute for Mediation, Counselling, Development (Germany), and Cowater International (Belgium), the project runs until July 2025.
