The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives "Viitorul" (IDIS) organized a new retreat for representatives of civil society organizations from the Republic of Moldova on Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13, 2025, to strengthen trust, collaboration, and resilience. The aim was to create a constructive space for discussions for representatives of CSOs, who act as human rights defenders in the Republic of Moldova, including from sensitive regions of the country, to strengthen mutual trust, stimulate inter-organizational collaboration, and develop institutional and personal resilience, necessary to respond to current and future challenges effectively.
On the first day, participants engaged in exercises and games designed to learn about and promote human rights, as well as group work sessions to examine various project ideas. They also received mentoring and support for developing a project, covering everything from writing to launching, implementing, and reporting. The next day, the participants went on a study visit to the village of Budesti, Chisinau municipality, to examine the experience of implementing projects at the local level from the perspective of cooperation between local administration and non-governmental organizations. The study visit included visits to sports and leisure spaces, the Village Museum, centers for children, youth, older people, and refugees, the Cultural Center, and the Public Library, as well as the "Sparta" Sports Club.
Nina Costiuc, mayor of Budești village, told the participants that the town she leads is genuinely an example of good practices for public administrations throughout the country, of exchange of experience regarding the implementation of projects carried out by the Budești City Hall and Local Council, both in the field of infrastructure, as well as in the socio-cultural, educational, and community fields.
"Thank you for your interest and appreciation of our efforts. We are happy to be able to share our experience and inspire other communities in sustainable and inclusive development," said Nina Costiuc.
"For me, the retreat was an opportunity to get to know colleagues from other organizations better, to discover how we can work more effectively on our ideas. I left with the feeling that through collaboration we can face common challenges," said Serghei Petrenco, a civic activist from the city of Bender.
"The activity provided me not only inspiration, but also concrete tools to strengthen the resilience of the organization I represent. The open dialogue and practical exercises convinced me that together, as a civil society, we can be stronger and more visible to the authorities and citizens," said Elena Grigoriev, president of AO Indigo from Doroțcaia.
The retreat was organized within the "Strengthening Civil Society Resilience in the Republic of Moldova" project,implemented by IDIS "Viitorul".
The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul" is an independent think tank established in 1993, combining social, political, and economic research with strong advocacy components. Our institution conducts applied monitoring research in several areas: economics, social policy, EU policies, regional development, and security and foreign policy risks.
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