We set up in 2006 on the belief that public decisions must be taken in a participatory way. Meaning that, the mayor, the minister, the school principal – or anyone with decision-making power – must listen to people when taking a decision.

By public participation we understand the process by which citizens and organizations:

  • Express their needs and desires
  • Defend their interests and rights
  • Contribute to public policy making and public decision-making
  • React and demand accountability to officials and public institutions

And public institutions and those who work for them:

  • Consult citizens and organizations when developing policies and make decisions
  • Take into account what people say
  • Use the community expertise

Through the programs we run, we are close to the citizens, initiative groups and organizations, through advocacy consulting, specific and long-lasting. Concrete, we offer assistance when guidance is needed to solve various community problems, through public participation. Influencing public decisions is often a difficult process, but by expressing citizens’ rights we find an efficient way for the voices of communities to be heard and respected by decision-makers.

Our intervention is oriented towards civic groups, organizations and communities that fight for a more human-friendly city, but also for fair public decisions, which focus on the real needs of those directly affected.

Our campaigns aim at making the decision-making process in public institutions transparent and involving citizens in projects important to the community.

Through community organization and advocacy we have a 14-year contribution to the increase of public participation in Romania. We offer space for learning and experience transfer and with the financial help of the American State Department we annually run a 6 weeks advocacy exchange program in USA.

We have been awarding for 10 years, on the stage of the Public Participation Awards Gala, stories of public participation initiated by citizens and organizations, who through their results and perseverance have the power to inspire those who are just starting-up their civic initiatives.

Through our constant concern for democratic principles, civil rights and human rights, we contributed in forming the group ‘NGOs for citizen’, a coalition of groups and organizations with which we act to expand the civic space in Romania.

73.000

PEOPLE INVOLVED
CeRe stands next to citizens when they need guidance to determine authorities to solve various problems faced by communities - lack of playgrounds for kids, lack of green spaces or abusive deforestation, lack of consultation of citizens by the administration in important projects for the city, etc.

10

EDITIONS OF THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AWARDS GALA
The Gala awards citizens, organizations or public authorities that through their actions manage to change or adopt a public decision for the benefit of the community they represent. It is the only Romanian competition that awards advocacy efforts and public consultation projects.

CeRe’s Mission

Together with citizens, organizations and communities, we build day by day a just and equitable world, where people stand together and their voices are central to the decision making processes.

CeRe STRONG VOICE

We believe that citizens and organizations need to make their voice heard when they have something to say regarding public decisions that concern us. For this, we have two types of related intervention: community organizing and advocacy support.

THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AWARDS GALA

The Public Participation Awards Gala is the stage where we annually reward courageous citizens who are stubborn enough to push the public administration until they resolve things that are not going well. It’s the stage we also provide to institutions when they show citizen involvement in the decision-making processes.

“NGOs for citizen” Group

We decided to get together when we saw that in Romania like all over Europe, the participation space for organizations and activists is restricted. The stigma thrown on NGOs and activists alarmed us: the parallel state, foreign agent, the enemy of the nation, slacker, paid protesters etc.

DON’T WAIT FOR SUPERHEROES

Don’t wait for superheroes is a campaign for accountability and transparency of the Capital’s public administration. Initiated in 2012, it mainly targeted the City Hall and the General Council of Bucharest. Since 2015, it has been extended to local city councils and local councils.

LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE

We learn about and adapt interesting methods of public consultation in decision-making, advocacy tactics, and how others work with citizens.

At the same time, we offer opportunities for learning, reflection and exchange of experience to other organizations or individuals.

Featured news

You can find more news and information on the Romanian version of our website