Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) is a network of 15 civil society organizations from 10 countries and territories in South East Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey).

Their Mission is to empower civil society in the Balkans through sharing and developing local practices, concepts and strengthening civil society actors; and their Vision is to contribute to a sustainable peace, harmony and prosperity of societies in the Balkan region.

Balkan Civil Society Development Network was established based on initiative Capacity Building Hub Program, a part of a larger initiative called the WCC South-East Europe Ecumenical Partnership. By bringing together churches, ecumenical and civil society organizations, this initiative aimed at promoting their co-ordination and co-operation. The Capacity-Building Hub Program focused on strengthening individual/staff and organizational capacities and skills of involved agencies.

The initial pilot program ran from 2001 to 2003, in which 5 country visits and accompanying reports, 3 partnership meetings, 5 trainings, 7 exchange and consultancy visits were held and web training-directory and address book were published. Thus, Balkan Civil Society Development Network was launched in December 2003 as a result of successful cooperation in strengthening capacities of partner organizations.

Goals and Objectives

1. Increase the role of civil society by strengthening its voice in policy- and decision-making at national, regional and EU level;

2. Promote the civil dialogue between the civil society actors, state institutions and the European Union in order to influence the public policies;

3. Develop advocacy knowledge and skills among civil society actors as a base for greater impact; and

4. Strengthen communication, coordination and cooperation between the civil society actors in the Balkan region.