VIDEO // Civil Society Gala held in Chișinău

Seven civil society organizations from the Republic of Moldova were awarded at the 9th edition of the Civil Society Gala, organized by the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova. Present at the event, Speaker Igor Grosu thanked civil society organizations that are close to the people, develop communities, and contribute to strengthening democracy in the Republic of Moldova.

The European Union Civil Society Prize Gala aims to recognize the role of civil society as a promoter of positive and impactful changes for the benefit of citizens. The prizes were awarded for professional excellence, impactful initiatives, and good practices.

European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova Iwona Piórko congratulated this year’s winning organizations of the Gala and emphasized that their work is essential for Moldova’s democratic resilience, social progress and for the country’s European future.

“It is the first gala that I have the privilege to host as Ambassador. The event offers the opportunity to recognize the achievements of civil society organizations in the Republic of Moldova. Your work is not only impressive, it is also essential for the democratic resilience of Moldova, for social progress, and for its European future,” the Ambassador said.

Grosu delivered a message of appreciation for the work of civil society organizations.

“I am privileged to participate in several editions of the Gala, I can compare them, and every time I am pleased to see both familiar faces, established in civil society, and new faces. From year to year, I see an even higher quality of expertise, activities, and ideas generated by civil society. We are on the eve of an important announcement for the Republic of Moldova, an announcement that we have earned. Just as you deserve to be thanked and appreciated for the work you do, we as a country, as a society, also deserve from the European family, beyond the positive values in the annual reports, to benefit from a well-deserved political decision to open the way forward,” Grosu underlined.

During the Gala, the official presented the “Stronger Society” award to the Public Association “VICON” from Căușeni. Thanks to this project, more than 200 elderly people, persons with disabilities, and families in difficulty from the village of Sălcuța benefit free of charge from laundry and drying services for clothes, as well as other support activities.

This year’s Gala laureates are: -

CONTACT Center – Stronger Governance award,

Golubka Women’s Club NGO from Basarabeasca – Stronger Governance award,

NGO “Inima Nordului” from Ocnița – Stronger Economy award,

NGO Academy of Media Creation and Innovation (Security Zone) – Resilience to Disinformation award,

 NGO “Hai Moldova” – Sustainable Development and Green Energy award,

Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims “Memoria” – Promoting Gender Equality award.

The Civil Society Gala, which has already become a landmark event, aims to promote and recognize organizations and initiatives that generate profound transformations, influence public policies, and contribute to strengthening democracy, social inclusion, and sustainable development in communities across the Republic of Moldova, through the effective use of European funds.

The first edition was organized in 2018 by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova. For more than 20 years, the European Union has supported civil society in the Republic of Moldova, providing significant financial assistance through various programs.