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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Prisoner of Conscience: Asan Akhtemov, Ukraine
On September 3-4, 2021 Asan Akhtemov was arrested along with four other Crimean Tatars, including his brother Azis Akhtemov and Nariman Dzhelialov, the First Deputy Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people (the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people). Police also searched Akhtemov’s house and did not allow him to communicate with his lawyer for several days. Learn more about the story of this prisoner of conscience.
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A rebel with a cause
Journalist and former MP Gayane Abrahamyan on fighting for a better future, judicial reform, and awareness of domestic violence in Armenia.
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Strategic Rethinking: New NATO Strategic Concept and EU Strategic Compass
The main goal of the conference is to discuss the complexity of current risks and threats to the regional and global security, predominantly those arising from the Russian aggression against sovereign Ukraine. Keeping in mind the potential global dimensions of this war, the conference will also discuss possible responses to the Russian hybrid warfare against the democratic world, including weaponization of the energy supplies, propaganda, fake news, cyber-attacks and others. At the same time, it will take into consideration all other threats such as terrorism, migration, natural disasters, climate change and many others.
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Serbia: Gays and lesbians “temporarily” declared personae non-gratae
Europride begins today in Serbia. Although thousands of protesters have once again taken to the streets in Belgrade against the large-scale event and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had previously announced the cancellation of the Pride event, the international pressure was too great. In the conservative world view of the Serbian president, same-sex partnerships and alternative life plans have no place. LGBTIQ activist Stefan Šparavalo talks about equal rights and social participation in Europe.
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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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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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Art Interrupted: The Password
'The Password' is a documentary by Salome Sordia about Andro Dadiani, a performance artist from Georgia who peforms with a mask because his queer identity and lifestyle are not accepted in Georgian society. The documentary, part of the Art Interrupted series, shows his experiences with homophobia, self-censorship and highlighting this issues using the language of art.
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Prisoners of Conscience: Tut.by, Belarus
In 2021, local police raided the headquarters of the independent news site Tut.by in Minsk and several other of their offices across the country. The same month, 15 of its employees were detained and interrogated, including the editor-in-chief Maryna Zolatava, business reporter Elena Tolkacheva, political editor Volha Loika, and social media editors Maksim Pushkin and Ala Burkouskaya. This is the story about the prisoners of conscience from Belarus.
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The Convention of Discord
This #FEMALEFORWARDINTERNATIONAL analysis deals with the Istanbul Convention, a very misunderstood document that caused controversies in Central and Southeastern Europe and the liberal response to it.
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Not in Men’s Shadow Any Longer: The Rise of Female Leadership in East and Southeast Europe
This analysis, part of #FEMALEFORWARDINTERNATIONAL, offers an in-depth insight into the joys and hardships of being a woman in politics in this transitional region.
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Prisoners of Conscience: DOXA, Russia
In January 2021 DOXA, a Russian student magazine, ran a video report before a national protest. Little did they know that three months later, that video would be used to launch an investigation against four of its staff members for inciting minors to protest. Learn more about the prisoners of conscience from Russia.
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Women in Civil Society in East and Southeast Europe
For decades, civil society has been a comfortable environment where females can express their opinions or publicise the issues they face. Discover more about the role of women in civil society in this #FEMALEFORWARDINTERNATIONAL analysis.
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Art Interrupted: Remember
In the ‘Remember’ documentary part of Art Interrupted series, journalists Sercan Meriç and Anıl Mert Özsoy from Turkey feature ‘Kardeş Türküler’, a contemporary multilingual Turkish ethnic folkloric band.
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Prisoner of Conscience: Saleh Rustamov, Azerbaijan
In November 2021 Saleh Rustamov, an Azerbaijani opposition leader and activist, went on a hunger strike for 41 days. Earlier, in February 2021, this member of the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, APFP, was sentenced – along with two other senior members of the party – to seven years in jail for money laundering and drug crimes. Learn more about Saleh Rustamov, prisoner of conscience.
Social Media
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♀️ 💪 A rebel with a cause. Discover the inspiring story of Gayane Abrahamyan from Armenia 🎞️ 🌍 In the #FemaleForwardInternational campaign, FNF shares best practices of female empowerment and leadership from East and Southeast Europe. Meet the ambassador 👉 http://bit.ly/3Ve0gvT Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom South Caucasus Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Armenia Գայանե Աբրահամյան/Gayane Abrahamyan
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♀️ 💪 A rebel with a cause. Discover the inspiring story of Gayane Abrahamyan from Armenia 🎞️ 🌍 In the #FemaleForwardInternational campaign, FNF shares best practices of female empowerment and leadership from East and Southeast Europe. Meet the ambassador 👉 http://bit.ly/3Ve0gvT Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom South Caucasus Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Armenia Գայանե Աբրահամյան/Gayane Abrahamyan
