Strengthening connections beyond borders

Recently, People in Need Moldova participated in a regional networking event in Yerevan. This event brought together 19 civil society organisations from Moldova and Armenia; it provided a valuable space for dialogue, exchange, and the initiation of partnerships.

The event took place within the framework of our “Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries” project, and included networking sessions, thematic discussions, and a study visit that encouraged mutual learning and cooperation between organisations from the two countries.

Participants discussed shared challenges faced by civil society in the Eastern Partnership region, exchanged best practices, and explored directions for collaboration. For some, the event represented their first opportunity to meet, and the event has already led to the outlining of joint project ideas to be developed in the near future.

“Over these two days, we brought together 10 civil society organisations from Moldova and the same number from Armenia, facilitating connections, experience exchange, and strengthened cooperation. This will help organisations become more effective and influential in their respective regions,”

noted Violeta Frimu-Patel, Civil Society Adviser at People in Need.

Participants highlighted the practical nature of the meetings and the opportunity to learn directly from one another’s experiences.

“We presented our organisation’s programmes and learned about the work of partner organisations. We would like to implement new projects together in the future,”

—Irina Bejan, founder of the Regional Community Development Centre in Moldova.

In turn, Tatevik Harutyunyan, from Sustainable Progress—an Armenian organisation—, emphasised the importance of regional cooperation:

“Cooperation is rooted in our values—it helps us find each other, address the right issues, and identify the best solutions. The programme implemented by People in Need has truly supported our institutional strengthening, capacity development, and connection with relevant actors.”

Emerging from this event is a joint initiative of the Regional Community Development Centre and Mirkiras NGOs from Moldova and Pando Community Development NGO and Restart VANADZOR NGOs from Armenia, to develop a new project focused on young people in both countries.

This collaboration continued in early 2026 through an online meeting between partner organisations, marking an important step in transforming ideas into action. Based on trust, mutual learning, and tangible results in their respective communities, this initiative represents a shared direction of work to build strong international cooperation in the youth field.

Common objectives include developing youth programmes that promote participation, leadership, and civic initiative; connecting grassroots initiatives with international partnerships; creating safe and inclusive spaces for learning and collaboration; and attracting resources and partners for sustainable, long-term initiatives.

In 2026, participants from the event aim to further expand this cooperation, guided by the shared belief that young people of the region deserve more opportunities, and organisations can achieve greater impact when they work together.

The event was organised within the framework of the regional project “Resilience of Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries”, developed by People in Need, funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic through the Transition Cooperation Programme.