The activities of the civil society organizations in today’s socio-political environment are endangered by the numerous pressures that they are facing on a daily basis. The space where criticism, as well as recommendations, from a civil society can be heard has been increasingly narrowing in the past years, while the dialogue with public authorities is almost impossible. In order to live in a society in which democratic institutions are effective and function properly, where rule of law is guaranteed, and the government respects and nurtures public interest, it is necessary to involve civil society in the creation of public policies.

Besides CSOs, the media represent an important factor when it comes to creating a better, more responsible society for all of us. By objective reporting and sharing information in a timely manner, the media is enhancing critical thinking of citizens. However, media freedom in Serbia has not been at an desired level for a really long time. According to the latest research conducted by the Reporters Without Borders, Serbia is ranked on 93rd place out of 180. The passable result that Serbia achieves at the world level significantly worsens when media freedom in Serbia is compared to the region and the territory of the European Union - along with Montenegro and Bulgaria, Serbia is one of the three countries with the worst state of media freedom.

Challenges that CSOs and the media are facing are much more emphasized in smaller communities. Organizations that are active locally have less resources, and therefore less ways to cope with pressure. That is why it’s important to recognize the importance of the changes that these organizations and the media can initiate, and help them build a better society.

For the sixth year in a row, the Belgrade Open School, together with the support of Sweden has been providing continuous support to civil society organizations and media with whom we are building a better society for everyone. The support is realized within the project Civil Society as a Force for a Change in Serbia's EU Accession Process with the aim of contributing to European integration and democratic development in Serbia, strengthening CSOs and the media.

Continuous support to partner organizations and the media has enabled each of them 11 to initiate significant changes in their field of activity in their communities, with the common goal - to bring the process of European integration closer to citizens and explain the importance of social change. Civil society and the media are advocates for the interests of citizens, and that is why it is essential to provide them with support and encouragement to continue their activities, despite all the challenges.

The Initial workshop on writing project proposals was held in Belgrade, December 1-3, during which representatives of partner civil society organizations and the media, had the opportunity to work with mentors on creating project proposals for the new project year.

 The workshop was organized by the Belgrade Open School with the support of Sweden.