March 2018 rally against Polish government's proposed new legislation on abortions. Photo: Jaap Arriens/SIPA USA/PA Images. All rights reserved.With the resurgence of right-wing political movements across Europe and the US, solidarity across societies and their members is becoming more and more difficult to maintain. Big cities are haunted by gentrification and ethnic segregation; smaller towns are struggling to keep their communities intact against the unemployment and outward migration. How can we support solidarity in times of the conservative turn, and what is the role of the civil society here?
The EU-Russia Civil Society Forum is fighting to keep ties between NGOs, governments and international organisations alive in Europe today. Solidarity is the Forum’s key principle: the Forum currently unites 133 organisations across different fields of interest and different countries.
A significant thrust of Forum’s energy is directed towards educating NGO professionals across Russia and EU. Europe Lab, a summer school for Forum members, takes place annually in different locations. The 2017 Europe Lab was held in the European Center for Solidarity in Gdansk and the choice of location has determined the focus of most events.
