East and Southeast Europe
The Regional Office FNF ESEE covers 23 countries in East and Southeast Europe. The Regional Office in Sofia coordinates the following Project Offices in the region: Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Greece, Romania and Moldova, Western Balkans, Russia and Central Asia, Ukraine and Belarus, South Caucasus and Turkey.
News
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Refugee Crisis: Pushbacks and harsh sentences for Refugees
Over the previous years and due to the refugee crisis, the Greek islands became known worldwide. More and more people were arriving on the islands trying to escape from the Syrian war while others grab this opportunity to come to Europe for financial or political reasons. Many things have changed since the beginning of the crisis in 2015: The number of people has been decreased and the flows are not so often and numerous.
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War, Words, Weapons
For Dr. Solomon Passy, who has served as Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister from 2001 to 2005 and who was instrumental in guiding his nation to NATO membership in 2004, it is clear that Putin wants all of Ukraine, and will do so for the rest of his reign. It was the West's de facto neutrality in 2008 and 2014 towards Russian aggressions against Georgia, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk that fuelled the Kremlin's appetite for a continuation of this "push to the West".
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Women in Journalism in East and Southeast Europe
The main storytellers of our time, journalists, tend to be predominantly female and though they are outspoken, they tend to be discriminated. Find out more in the #FEMALEFORWARDINTERNATIONAL analysis for women in journalism in East and Southeast Europe.
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"Freedom must be better armed than tyranny"
Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia, has become one of Europe's leading voices against Russia's war in Ukraine. She has been leading in getting the EU to take tougher action against Russia. She linked her 16th Berlin Freedom Speech with an appeal to formulate an even stronger European response to Putin's war.
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Russia closes offices of various German political foundations in Moscow
Russia bans the work of several German political foundations, including the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
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Liberal Communicators Network: Non-Profit Academy 2022
Mission-driven Communicators: WANTED. Apply for the Liberal Communicators Network -Non-Profit Academy by 1 May! The Academy empowers liberal communicators to adapt cutting-edge communication strategies, innovation, and marketing trends for the specific context of the mission-driven sector. Do not miss the chance to learn from thought leaders such as Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy UK; TED Global Speaker; best-selling author. Organized by ELF, in cooperation with FNF ESEE.
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#FemaleForwardInternational Publication for East and Southeast Europe
Download now the #FemaleForwardInternational Publication for East and Southeast Europe. The liberal stories of female leadership and empowerment worth sharing span across a wide spectrum – human rights, civil society, media, education, law, academia, art, entrepreneurship, business, economics, politics, public policy, international development, foreign policy, defence, diplomacy, migration, and more. Meet the 33 ambassadors from 16 countries.
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Meet Edita Tahiri from Kosovo
Very few women in the world can start their life’s journey as part of an oppressed people in their country, grow to be the voice of their new-born nation to the world, help it earn its freedom, and not only live to tell the tale, but also make a successful political career. Edita Tahiri from Kosovo is one such rare example, and she has many stories to tell.
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The importance of dreaming big
Syrian human rights activist Ravda Nur Cuma believes that education can save lives. She supports sending refugee girls back to school, preventing early marriages. Her mission is to fight for equality and human-rights-oriented politics. I support peace with a smile.
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Meet Ravda Nur Cuma from Turkey
The human rights activist believes every refugee deserves an opportunity and an access to education. Ravda Nur Cuma had always dreamt of becoming a doctor. As a child, she imagined she would perform operations that saved peoples’ lives. But then the Syrian war came and completely changed the trajectory of her future.
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A Woman on the Diplomatic Frontline
Meet Valeriia Lutkovska, the legal expert paving the way for Ukrainian Human Rights legislation. “For me, it is about human rights – not empty words but standards in each sphere of our lives. Without an understanding of my rights as a human being, it is not possible to understand what human dignity is. Only the person who can protect the right of privacy, or education, or freedom of expression – only they can understand human dignity.”
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Meet Valeriia Lutkovska from Ukraine
Meet Valeriia Lutkovska from Ukraine - a woman on the diplomatic frontline. Valeriia Lutkovska is the example of a freedom warrior: she might not agree with what you say, but she will fight for your right to say it.
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Journalism as a Catalyst for Change
The investigative journalist who uses collaborative reporting and cross-border investigations in the fight against corruption. Nino Bakradze is the editor and co-founder of the Investigative Journalists' media project iFact, based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She works in an all-female team to uncover some of the most gruesome political scandals in Georgia and says that so far, there is not much competition when it comes to investigative reporting.
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Meet Nino Bakradze from Georgia
In Georgia, journalism is traditionally considered a “female” profession, states investigative journalist Nino Bakradze. She adds that since people do not have sexist views towards female journalists, her profession has not complicated her life much. Being a female in Georgia is complicated enough, so being in journalism just adds to that. Meet the investigative journalist who uses collaborative reporting and cross-border investigations against corruption.
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A Dreamer and a Doer
This human rights activist turned Supreme Court spokeswoman shares why she believes a personal example is the best mechanism for change. The Press secretary of the Constitutional Court of Armenia, Eva Tovmasyan, is a master communicator. With extensive experience in the civic sector and well-versed in politics, she reveals how she was inspired to become a civic activist and why she believes it is her duty to inspire others.
Social Media
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👏 It's time to say goodbye and thank you to the Director of Array, Michael Roick, for his contribution to freedom in our region and beyond. 💪 On behalf of FNF's team, we wish him good luck in his future endeavors and the next chapter in his life's journey. #fnfesee #freedomteam #fnfwesternbalkans
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💪 ♀️ When you enter politics, what do you need to keep in mind? 🎬 Learn more first-hand from the alumni of the flagship leadership training - Array (AOH) for East Europe. 💡 AOH ignites her political ambition into real political power. 🏆 She is ready to lead and succeed! ♀ 💪 The time for women to lead in Europe has come. This is her time. And #SheWillBeHeard. AOH is an influential community of liberal women and their allies dedicated to ensuring women are in equal power and decision-making, that female leadership is valued, and that liberal women in European politics can thrive. 🔜 The 2022 AOH Academy for East Europe has already started with the first successful session. We have been organizing the AOH East Europe since 2017. 👏 The East Europe edition of Array is organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for East and Southeast Europe, in cooperation with Array . #allianceofher #aoh2021 #fnfesee #womeninpolitics
