What motivated the Council of Europe to support civil society through this call for proposals, and how does this particular project contribute to that mission?  As democratic institutions face growing pressure, the Council of Europe launched a call for projects aimed at enhancing the mutual engagement between the Council of Europe and civil society organisations and raising awareness of the Council of Europe and its work to strengthen democracy. One of the winners was the consortium led by Volonteurope, who received a grant of 40 000€ for the BRIDGE project (Building Resilience and Inclusion for Democracy and participatory Governance in Europe). Grounded in the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy and the European Social Charter (ESC), the initiative turns these principles into action—helping civil society organisations defend civic space, advance democratic values, and promote meaningful public participation.

What concrete steps are being taken? Through targeted roundtables and workshops across Europe, BRIDGE is strengthening the capacity of nearly 300 activists to use Council of Europe tools such as BePart and the Practical Guide for Civil Society and standards such as the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy. These sessions enable civil society organisations to take part more effectively in monitoring, advocacy, and policy dialogue - linking local experience with European democratic standards.

How is the project addressing country-specific challenges? From Georgia, where democracy is backsliding, to Hungary and Serbia, where independent organisations operate under pressure, BRIDGE supports those defending civic space. In Italy and France, partners address inequality, migration, and gender rights, while in the United Kingdom, efforts focus on reaffirming engagement with Council of Europe standards. The partners in Belgium play a key coordinating role, connecting national initiatives to EU-level frameworks.

How does BRIDGE reinforce the Council of Europe’s wider mission? By increasing knowledge about the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy and Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)11 on the need to strengthen the protection and promotion of civil society space in Europe, BRIDGE enhances the capacity, resilience and engagement of civil society across Europe in promoting democratic values and civil participation. The project also supports alignment between the ESC and the European Pillar of Social Rights, ensuring coherence between European institutions on democracy and human rights.

Why does this collaboration matter now? The BRIDGE project reaffirms a central principle of the Council of Europe: democracy depends on active, resilient civil societies. By connecting institutions with citizens and turning standards into practice, BRIDGE helps ensure that Europe’s democratic values remain strong, inclusive, and alive in everyday life.