On 27–28 March 2025, ALDA’s Governing Board convened for an in-person meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, marking a strategic milestone in the organisation’s ongoing commitment to fostering local democracy, civic engagement, and European integration, particularly in the Western Balkans.
A high-level setting for key decisions
Held at Hotel Mona Plaza, the two-day meeting brought together Board members, partners, and institutional representatives to take stock of progress, set priorities, and foster deeper collaboration across ALDA’s key areas of action.
The programme opened with a high-level panel discussion within the BOOST project, titled “BOOSTing Integration: Civil Society as a Driver of EU Accession,” followed by a BOOST sub-grant agreement signing ceremony. This moment reaffirmed ALDA’s role in empowering civil society and local stakeholders across the region in the path toward EU membership.
Before the official start, ALDA’s delegation was welcomed by Pierre Cochard, Ambassador of France to Serbia, and Arnaud Dauphin, Director of AFD’s Western Balkans Regional Office. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss regional developments and highlight the importance of strong institutional partnerships to promote European values and democratic governance at the local level.
Strategic discussions and new directions
One of the key points of the agenda was the approval of the chairs and co-chairs of ALDA’s Thematic Hubs, which cover areas such as local governance, migration, gender equality, environment, digital transformation, and youth. A new hub is also under consideration, following suggestions from members, stay tuned!
With a view to strengthening coordination and inclusiveness, ALDA presented a new internal approach of “working as a community”, encompassing ALDA, ALDA+, ALDA Italia, and the Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs). As part of this process, a comprehensive calendar will be developed to better inform the Governing Board about activities across the entire ALDA network, including those of GB members.
Reinforcing democracy in challenging contexts
The choice of Belgrade as the venue was emblematic of ALDA’s long-standing engagement in the region. Amid geopolitical instability and challenges to democratic governance — such as those observed in Georgia — the Board discussed the organisation’s advocacy work on Local Democratic Resilience. A strategic paper on this topic is currently being drafted, positioning ALDA and the LDA model as key tools to respond to crises and build stronger, community-based democracies.
ALDA is also contributing to the TED project and planning the timeline for the advocacy process related to the Local Democratic Resilience paper.
Updates and approvals
Throughout the two days, several key updates and approvals were presented and discussed:
- Approval of the first draft of the Strategy Monitoring Report, which will serve as a preliminary roadmap ahead of the General Assembly 2025. Stay tuned!
- Approval of the label requests for two LDAs: Dnipro and Tunisia.
- Updates on budget, risk management, membership and the Code of Ethics for receiving and granting funds.
Additionally, ALDA will soon sign three new Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), expanding its cooperation with civil society actors across regions. Stay tuned to discover ALDA’s new partnerships!
New memberships
Finally, ALDA welcomed two new members to its ever-growing network: the Bourgogne Franche-Comté Region and the Dijon Metropolitan Municipality, reinforcing ALDA’s presence and impact across Europe.