Catalyst of Change
Supporting a vibrant civil society in Europe
Associação Academia Cidadã (AAC)
academiacidada.orgAcademia Cidadã defends fundamental pillars of human rights such as freedom of expression, association, protest, equity and non-discrimination, acting locally and internationally. It advocates for the construction of a society organized around the needs of people, respecting the planet's limits, and empowering people and organizations to defend democracy and resolve the climate crisis. The Academia Cidadã also monitors threats to civic space, engages with decision-makers, and uses participatory methodologies. Because the organization believes that politics concerns everyone and that social transformation only happens with the participation of organized people.
About the Project
“What Are We Protesting For?”: A web documentary series to defend civic space and climate activists in Portugal
Civic space, both in Portugal and the EU, is facing significant and progressive deterioration, with attempts to restrict protests, disinformation campaigns, and the criminalization of
activists, particularly climate activists (Civic Space Report, 2025). Through a documentary web series on civic space and climate activists in Portugal, Academia Cidadã aims to:
- Counter negative narratives about activism by humanizing climate advocates. The web series will portray the work of organized civil society and its importance for maintaining
and improving democracy; - Promote more balanced news coverage, fostering dialogue between the media and civil society. The series will promote less focus on the tools used by activists and more on the content of the protests and the potential social dialogues they generate. Academia Cidadã aims to demonstrate that both journalism and activism require civil rights and liberties to function;
- Increase public understanding of the importance of civic space and the threats to its shrinkage, strengthening the resilience of civil society and respect for fundamental
rights in the EU when they are violated, through the development of informative and humanized storytelling.
Communication Outputs
Funded by the European Union
name
Catalyst of Change: Protecting the Union values by supporting a resilient, engaged and vocal civil society for the promotion of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption
partner
European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL)
duration
1 January 2023- 31 December 2026
budget
3,411.982 EUR
