Europe Begins in the Community: Takeaways from the Civil Society Forum in Cahul

Europe is not only about treaties and negotiations; it is about people, ideas, and projects that come to life in communities. At the Civil Society Forum held in Cahul, we took part in an honest dialogue on how European integration translates into everyday reality, where local public authorities, civil society, educational institutions, and the business sector work together.

Europe begins here, in our communities. The day was full of dialogue, inspiration, and confidence in the future: people from public administration, NGOs, business, education, and the media gathered with a common goal — to discuss how we build a European country “from the grassroots,” together. The atmosphere was warm, open, and sincere: we listened to stories of engagement, shared ideas, and discovered local initiatives that bring Europe closer to people.

“Europe is built in every village and city in the country, in every town hall and every community, with the involvement of each of us,” emphasized Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration.

“European integration must be a process grounded in local realities and built together with people in communities. In Cahul, we saw how valuable the collaboration is between public administration, civil society, and the academic environment,” noted Daniela Vidaicu, Director of the Soros Foundation Moldova.

The forum covered two major discussion strands: the role of local authorities and actors in the accession process, and how civil society turns European values into concrete actions — projects that truly matter.

CRDC highlighted examples of cross-sector collaboration, public consultation tools, and transparency practices applied in our civic participation and social cohesion projects. We reiterated that European integration makes sense when it is seen in measurable local results: better services for citizens, initiatives for young people, and functional partnerships between LPAs, schools, NGOs, and the business sector.

We thank the CONTACT Center, local partners CONTACT-Cahul, the Soros Foundation Moldova, and the Bureau for European Integration for a genuine and well-moderated space for dialogue.

CRDC remains committed to southern communities and to building a European country through projects that bring people together and deliver tangible results where they are most needed. For collaboration and proposals, write to us at asociatiacrdc@gmail.com or call 060 894 189.