EMERGE project successfully concludes

By Hanna Yerega

The EMERGE project, a collaborative initiative aimed at advancing civic participation and active citizenship in Cyprus, proudly announces its successful conclusion. Led by CARDET and Koumanto Stin Tsepi Sou, the EMERGE project has achieved significant milestones over the course of two years, making a visible contribution in elevating civic engagement and pushing for a more dynamic community of active citizens as well as civil society organisations across the island.

By developing a set of structured learning resources, tools, workshops, webinars, and outreach events, the EMERGE initiative has successfully connected with active citizens and representatives of Cypriot CSO organisations. Through its dedicated actions, the project has put emphasis on key issues and aspects of civic participation, as well as showcased inspiring actions and initiatives to promote stronger engagement. The project also hosted several public consultations to bring together representatives of the government and citizens. These open and democratic discussions covered pressing public issues including education, environment, youth participation and gender rights.

Finally, the project celebrated its outstanding impact during the final conference on ‘Shaping Tomorrow: Enhancing Civic Participation in Cyprus’. Led by prominent activists and CSO organisations, the event served as an incredible platform for stimulating discussions, expert insights, and individual case studies. Covering the themes of decision-making, youth participation, media and enabling environment for CSOs, this event has once again reaffirmed and expanded the community of active citizens in Cyprus, as well as local CSOs and shed light on current initiatives taking place across the two communities.

As a result of these efforts, EMERGE has contributed to fostering a more vibrant and participatory democracy in Cyprus, where citizens are actively engaged in decision-making processes and civil society organisations play a vital role in advancing social progress. Moving forward, the legacy of the EMERGE project will continue to inspire ongoing efforts to strengthen democracy, promote civic engagement, and build a more inclusive and participatory society in Cyprus. For more information about the EMERGE project and free resources, please visit the official website.

Hanna Yerega is a Communication Officer at CARDET, working across education and innovation projects