From local action to global impact: How civil society’s international engagement is shaping Europe’s external identity today 

Yesterday, Engineers Without Borders Denmark had the great honour of hosting 80 current and future leaders from the EEAS and member states to discuss civil society’s role in EU’s external identity when it comes to crisis management and response.

In collaboration with Roskilde University and IDA, we explored the role of citizen-driven initiatives from individuals taking informal action to organized exchanges between CSO platforms. And, the degree to which EU missions and representations in crisis areas really tap into the potential of integrating civil society – both in the local context and from Europe.

One message stood out:
Civil society is not a peripheral actor and we think EU missions stand to benefit from closer collaboration, support, and seeking inspiration from its citizen-led initiatives.

A big thank you to all speakers, participants, and partners for excellent discussions and sharing both policy points, success stories, and uncomfortable questions. Civil society rhymes with critical debate – just as much as solidarity comes from action, presence and daring to share conditions with those around us. Thank you all for engaging! 💚