More than 100 representatives of civil society organizations took part in the first annual meeting of the PACT project, dedicated to the topic “Everyone in the frame: Horizontal principles in action”. The event took place on June 18 in Sofia and focused on how the principles of diversity, equality, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) can become a real practice for the civil sector.
The meeting was attended by representatives of 46 partnership initiatives supported by the Partnership Fund of the PACT project, as well as representatives of 33 organizations with approved concepts under the Code Success Fund.
The meeting was started by representatives of the three organizations implementing the PACT project – Desislava Velkova, Project Manager and Partnership Fund, Iliana Nikolova, Executive Director of the Workshop for Citizens’ Initiatives Foundation, and Asya Kavrakova, Executive Director of the European Civil Action Service (ECAS).
The meeting created a space to share experiences, practical solutions, and a frank conversation about how organizations can reach more people, remove barriers to participation, and create safer and more inclusive projects.
Within the framework of the event, the participants worked on real cases, analyzed risks and barriers for different groups and looked for specific solutions that they can immediately apply in their practice.
“Who stays outside the project without planning it?” – this question became the starting point for the discussions throughout the day. Because inclusion does not begin with the reports and indicators, but already in the planning of activities – in the choice of place, language, format of communication, the method of invitation and the opportunities for people to actually participate.
One of the most valuable parts of the meeting was the opportunity for organizations to learn from each other. Through table work and discussion of specific projects, participants exchanged good practices, challenges and working solutions. Instead of viewing the DEIA principles as an administrative requirement, they have turned them into a tool for better planning, greater impact, and more sustainable outcomes.
A special place in the program was occupied by short thematic videos, which gave a human face to the topics of discrimination, participation and access to rights. The ensuing discussions helped the participants to translate what they saw into concrete measures applicable in their projects.
At the end of the meeting, organizations left not only with new knowledge, but also with practical tools to develop DEIA plans, ideas for improving their own activities, and a clearer understanding of how to ensure that no one is left behind.
Because successful projects are not measured only by the number of people reached. They are measured by the extent to which they enable different voices to be heard, to different people to participate, and to different communities to feel part of the change.
The PACT project is implemented by a consortium including the Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation, the Workshop for Citizens’ Initiatives Foundation and the European Civil Action Service (ECAS).
The project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program.
