The weight of strengthening cohesion to depolarise societies falls on the shoulders of civil society organisations, who have the strength and the motivation to protect civic and democratic spaces. This was the key message from Civil Society Week, hosted for a second year by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to discuss the alarming trend of widespread polarisation across EU societies.

Over 800 people, including representatives from civil society organisations (CSOs), NGOs and youth groups, as well as stakeholders and journalists, gathered at the EESC from 17 to 20 March in honour of Civil Society Week to share views and discuss how to strengthen cohesion and participation in polarised societies.

Civil Society Week hosted 14 sessions organised by EESC Liaison Group members and European Citizens’ Initiative Day (ECI) partners, including the EESC Civil Society Prize award ceremony. Participants drew up a comprehensive set of actionable steps and key demands for more cohesive societies' including:

• Strengthen cohesion through education and culture;
• Provide affordable and sustainable housing;
• Strengthen public participation through the ECI;
• Secure an inclusive just transition and green-blue growth;
• Build a strong European strategy for civil society;
• Reinforce support and funding for civil society organisations;
• Engage young people in shaping a stronger, more resilient Europe;
• Boost innovation and technology for the common good.

At the closing session, EESC President Oliver Röpke said: ‘As we conclude this second edition of Civil Society Week, I am deeply inspired by the energy, resilience and commitment of civil society actors from across Europe. This week has demonstrated that when civil society comes together, we can forge solutions that strengthen our democracy, foster social cohesion and build a Europe that truly works for its people.’

From the European Commission, Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President on Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, emphasised the crucial role that CSOs play in navigating societies using core European values.

Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, made a strong call to action, asking CSOs to show their strength and react to aggressive rhetoric: ‘We need a strong civil society and a real partnership between civil society and decision-makers in order to jointly build on a consistent society with real impact on people’s lives.’

Representatives from CSOs stressed that civil societies are more than service providers; they are an essential part of democracy and participation. Nataša Vučković, Secretary General at Serbia’s Centre for Democracy Foundation, expressed her optimism that civil society can play a vital role in fighting the root causes and the spread of anti-democratic and anti-European narratives, both in the EU and in candidate countries. This can be done by decoding the European Union and ensuring its benefits reach all citizens in their everyday lives. (at)