The European Fund for the Balkans in cooperation with the Association of Local Democracy Agencies, Subotica and the European House, Budapest is organizing a conference “Civil Bridge-Building“ - The Hungarian 2011 EU-Presidency and the Western Balkans, 18-19 June 2010, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Civil Bridge-Building will gather 60 representatives of Civil Society Organizations from Hungary and the Western Balkans region, representatives of Hungary responsible for realization of the EU Presidency priorities and experts involved in the EU strategy for cooperation in the Danube region.

This Conference aims to contribute to better cooperation and communication between participants and to set a foundation for the fruitful cooperation during the Hungarian Presidency to the EU. Participants will have a chance to discuss objectives and priorities of the future Hungarian EU Presidency as well as to elaborate on the Danube-region strategy. The panelists will present the main challenges and opportunities of Civil Society Organizations in Hungary and in the Western Balkan countries as well as identify possible areas of cooperation amongst them.

This panel discussion will provide useful inputs for the upcoming Hungarian presidency, and in addition, useful lessons will be drawn on the potentials of future cooperation between Hungary and the Western Balkans.