On 14 July 2025, the historic Villa Fabris in Thiene (Vicenza, Italy) hosted an important event under the banner of BRIDGE to the CoE – Building Resilience and Independence for Democratic Governance and Engagement with the Council of Europe. Organised by ALDA, this hybrid workshop brought together civil society representatives, institutional actors, and Council of Europe experts to tackle the growing challenges to democracy across Europe.
The event, titled “The CoE and the Modalities of Civil Society Involvement“, held with the patronage of the Municipality of Thiene, aimed to strengthen civil society participation in Council of Europe processes, enhance dialogue on civic space, and explore effective tools for democratic engagement.
The morning opened with welcome remarks from Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA, followed by institutional greetings from Marina Maino, Councillor of Thiene Municipality.
The first session, “Shared Struggles, Shared Strength: Italy and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society” provided a powerful comparative perspective on the state of civic space in Southern and Eastern Europe. Speakers included:
- Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA
- Andrea Rilievo, President of Cooperativa Studio Progetto
- Nicola Marolla, Director for Institutional and Population Services of Thiene Municipality
Moderated by Elisabetta Uroni, Head of the Communication Department of ALDA, the discussion highlighted common trends such as legal restrictions on NGOs, institutional disengagement, and the polarisation of public discourse — yet also emphasised the power of transnational cooperation and local commitment.
The second part of the event focused on practical tools and frameworks. Lotta Valtonen, Policy Advisor at the Council of Europe, presented key instruments available to civil society and elaborated on the Reykjavik Declaration, a recent reaffirmation of the Council’s democratic mission. This was followed by collaborative working groups, both online and offline, where participants discussed strategies to reinforce civic participation and build bridges with institutions in their own local contexts.
The BRIDGE workshop reaffirmed the urgent need to empower grassroots organisations, ensure institutional openness, and foster democratic resilience — especially in light of shrinking civic spaces in both emerging and established democracies.
The event marked an important step in the BRIDGE project’s mission to connect civil society with European standards of governance, providing not only a platform for exchange but also practical tools for long-term engagement.
