Insights from the Catalyst of Change EU and Media Engagement Knowledge-Sharing Event

On 01 and 02 October 2025, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC), together with partners from the European Center for Non-Profit Law (ECNL) and media experts from Free Press Eastern Europe (FPEE), hosted a two-day knowledge-sharing event in Sofia, Bulgaria. This event was part of the EU-funded Catalyst of Change project, which works to strengthen civil society in Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Portugal, and Slovenia. Over the course of the event, more than 20 participants, members of civil society organisations from Bulgaria and Romania, explored legal advocacy and media engagement strategies to better protect human rights and support active civil society across the region. As one participant reflected:

Because of cross-country knowledge sharing events like this one from Catalyst of Change, we are able to connect to like-minded organisations in the region and explore ways in which we can collaborate and amplify each other’s messaging. It really is invaluable to us to be able to learn from each other, share experiences, pool resources and take time to grow together. It boosts our levels of motivation and we get inspired by other things that are happening.

Engaging EU advocacy channels

During the event, we shared experiences on how EU and media engagement strategies can best be used to protect human rights, and focused on ways in which civil society can use EU advocacy channels to protect civic space on the national level. This included discussions on different laws and initiatives that protect civil society and democracy, including the Rule of Law Report, which has been in place since 2020 to support dialogue between EU institutions, governments, and civil society.

In a session moderated by Francesca Fanucci, Senior Legal Advisor at ECNL, Joeri Buhrer Tavanier, Director of the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, reflected on how the report has evolved:

Contributing to the Rule of Law report is really valuable because it creates a shadow report that complements what the EU Commission produces. It helps fill gaps in the official information and gives a broader, more critical perspective. Plus, when CSOs provide input on a regular basis, it builds trust with the government, and they start to see that what we’re saying really reflects reality.

Buhrer Tavanier also highlighted the growing importance of the Rule of Law reports and the ways to ensure their continued impact:

In times of shrinking civic space, contributing to the Rule of Law report is more important than ever. Nowadays, civil society must do more with less, yet these reports ensure that the governments cannot ignore independent assessments.

Participants were invited to share their experiences with the Rule of Law Report, and many said they are actively contributing to the recommendations through their work. As one participant from Bulgaria reflected, there is still room for improvement:

What matters is what happens after the report, how can we create spaces where recommendations can become reality? There is a need to follow up the results, including with civil society.

During the session on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), participants reflected on how such lawsuits are often used to intimidate and silence civil society. Participants from Bulgaria and Romania highlighted how widespread these tactics are in politically sensitive contexts, with many sharing personal stories of colleagues affected and describing the emotional and financial strain such cases cause. Despite these challenges, there were also signs of progress—such as the case of Romanian journalist Ghuilfer Predescu, who successfully challenged a SLAPP before the European Court of Human Rights. The Court found that her right to freedom of expression had been violated and ordered compensation. The discussion also explored ways to engage with the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), which works to strengthen legal resilience, advocate for protective legislation, and facilitate access to affordable or pro bono legal support.

Media engagement for CSOs

During the first media engagement session led by FPEE, participants strengthened skills on drafting a structured and convincing pitch that captures journalists’ interest, and reflected on best practices of building and sustaining positive relationships with the media. As FPEE Programme Coordinator Natalia Marshalkovitch noted:

Editorial decision-making within newsrooms is hypersensitive to new developments, as they need to produce news related to the current agenda. Pitch at the right moment to connect your story to the news cycle.

Following this discussion, participants collaborated in groups to develop pitches that reflected their own work and ongoing projects. The following sessions presented effective ways to create and promote engaging social media content by making smart use of algorithms, platform guidelines, and other online dynamics. The training concluded with a hands-on workshop on how to use AI tools to support content creation.

Creating actionable change through communicaton

Alongside exploring strategy for engagement with EU legal tools and the media, we exchanged stories of communication strategies and campaigns for human rights and civil society work. Experts and participants shared tips on media strategies, building relationships with journalists, pitching stories, and using hope-based communication campaigns.

Andrada Cilibiu, Communication and Reproductive Rights Manager from the FILIA Center in Romania (a Catalyst of Change partner working on women’s rights), emphasized:

We talk about a lot of hard, traumatic situations, but we do not want to exploit trauma. We post only if we can give support, hope, alternatives, and, most importantly, emphasize that we have the power to change things.

The knowledge-sharing event offered substantive insights into legal advocacy and media and communication strategies, while providing a valuable platform for participants to exchange experiences and foster professional connections. For us at the NHC, it served as an invaluable opportunity to gather direct feedback from partners on the impact of the EU-funded Catalyst of Change project.

As one of our Romanian partners noted:

This grant […] allowed our small grassroots organisation in Bucharest to expand into remote areas, small towns, and villages […] We have reached a very diverse group of people thanks to Catalyst of Change.

Find out more about the training and our partners in Croatia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia here.

This event is part of the Catalyst of Change project, made possible with the kind support of the European Union. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.