ROOT WB – Regional Ownership of Our Tomorrow: Strengthening Civic Participation and EU Values

Name: ROOT WB – Regional Ownership of Our Tomorrow: Citizens and Civil Society Growing
EU Values in the Western Balkans

Timespan: 01/01/2026 – 31/12/2027

Donor: European Union / Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV)

Type of action: CERV Lump Sum Grants

Call: CERV-2025-CITIZENS-CIV

Budget: 342.775 EUR

Applicant: LDA Mostar (Mostar / Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Partners: NALAS (France); CEDEM (Montenegro);  ACT-Center (Albania); BCSP (Serbia); LDA Sisak (Croatia); EMMK (North Macedonia); ALDA (France)

DESCRIPTION: 

ROOT WB is a transnational project aimed at strengthening democratic participation, civic engagement, and awareness of European Union values across the Western Balkans and the EU. The project brings together civil society organizations, citizens, youth, and local authorities to foster inclusive dialogue, participatory governance, and cross-border cooperation.

Through a combination of capacity building, participatory labs, civic campaigns, policy dialogue, and advocacy actions, ROOT WB empowers citizens to actively engage in democratic processes and contribute to shaping policies that affect their everyday lives. Special attention is given to youth, women, and marginalized groups to ensure inclusive and gender-sensitive participation.

AIM OF THE PROJECT: To strengthen the enabling environment for civil society in Western Balkan countries by enhancing civic engagement, supporting democratic participation, and promoting EU values through regional cooperation and dialogue.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: 

SO1: Promote active citizenship and civic engagement, particularly among youth, women, and underrepresented groups at local, national, and regional levels;

SO2: Enhance CSO capacities to defend civic space, advocate reforms, and represent citizens’ rights;

SO3: Facilitate regional cooperation and exchange of best practices between CSOs, local authorities, and EU partners to foster cross-border civic alliances;

SO4: Improve public understanding of EU values, rights, and institutions, in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;

SO5: Establish participatory policy-making mechanisms to integrate citizen input into both local governance and EU-related processes.

TARGET GROUPS

• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
• Youth
• Women and Marginalized Groups
• Local Authorities and Policymakers
• Media and Legal Professionals
• Citizens

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Baseline mapping and needs assessments of civil society organizations
• Capacity-Building Academy for CSOs and youth activists
• Local Democracy Labs and EU Policy Labs engaging citizens in structured dialogue
• Regional Community Dialogue Forums and Expert Roundtables
• Civic participation and awareness-raising campaigns
• Development of the EU Democracy and Policy Literacy Toolkit
• Online civic forums and national final conferences presenting project results

These activities are designed to ensure meaningful participation, co-creation of solutions, and sustained impact beyond the project’s lifetime.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Engage more than 1,000 citizens directly across the region
• Strengthen capacities of CSOs and youth activists for democratic participation and advocacy
• Produce concrete policy recommendations reflecting citizens’ priorities
• Increase public awareness of EU values and civic engagement opportunities
• Contribute to stronger democratic resilience and civic ownership in the Western Balkans

IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES

• ROOT WB Kick-Off Conference, March 12-13, 2026
• Kick-Off Conference Survey 

DOCUMENTS

D1.1_Event Description Sheet_REPORT Kick-off Conference