Catalyst of Change
Supporting a vibrant civil society in Europe
Institute Citizen D
drzavljand.siThe NGO Državljan D/Citizen D works to promote human rights and digital rights in an open digital environment that is accessible to all. It sees the digital sphere as an essential part of the wider political landscape. The organisation focuses on three main areas: digital rights, media literacy and active citizenship. It advances these goals through public events, calls to action, analysis and reporting, and collaboration with similar organisations across the region.
About the Project
Unveiling Shadows: Investigating the Money Trail Behind Propaganda Outlets
Citizen D identified a growing problem in the Balkans, where propaganda and hate speech have become normalised and fuelled by opaque public funding. In the meantime, journalists often cannot track how state and municipal budgets support propaganda outlets, leaving the issue unchallenged. The aim of the Unveiling Shadows project was to trained journalists to investigate and expose these money flows. Over the course of the project, Citizen D ran three regional workshops with 58 participants, taught journalists and activists to identify extremist symbols, produced an investigation manual, and will continue to offer advisory support for freedom-of-information requests through 2026.
Communication Outputs
Media Coverage
Citizen D Institute and Bellingcat partners were featured on the radio with a segment on online hate and a discussion on the rise of the political far-right in Europe.
First • Intellect • More and more young people have already experienced cyberbullying
Project Communications
As part of the project, Citizen D Institute produced an educational manual that helps to investigate money flows.
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
