Inclusive Peacebuilding in Eastern Europe: Civil Society Organizations and UN meet in the Republic of Moldova

CHIȘINĂU, Republic of Moldova – Civil society organizations (CSOs) from across Eastern Europe and representatives from various United Nations (UN) entities gathered this week in Chișinău for a sub-regional dialogue on peacebuilding. The two-day event, organized by CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and UN Women Europe and Central Asia, brought together key actors to strengthen collaboration and prepare for the third annual CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding, scheduled for December in Geneva.

^{Civil Society Organizations and UN meet in the Republic of Moldova
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova}

The CSO-UN Dialogue Initiative is designed to create a platform for diverse civil society actors to influence global peacebuilding policies. It also aims to help the UN engage more systematically with civil society to create sustainable peace and enhance localization. During this dialogue, participants strengthened cooperation and considered peacebuilding lessons and best practices from the region, with particular focus on the implementation of the whole-of-system approach and the role of civil society in aligning global frameworks for local impact.

Emphasizing Participation and Inclusion

During two days of dialogue, civil society representatives welcomed the engagement with the UN and valued the opportunity to share experiences and innovations from Eastern Europe. The discussions highlighted the role of civil society in peacebuilding, the main challenges and opportunities for participation through nexus-aligned responses, and the critical contribution of multilateralism in supporting these efforts and fostering inclusive, sustainable, and resilient peace.

^{Yesim Oruc, UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Moldova
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova}

During her opening remarks, Yesim Oruc, UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Moldova, highlighted the critical role of civil society in peace efforts. “Peacebuilding is not just about ending the war, it's about participation as reflected in the UN Secretary Generals New Agenda on Peace and Pact for the Future. It's about making sure that women, youth and vulnerable groups are included. That civil society organizations have a voice in how to structure peace in their own communities.” she said.

Echoing this sentiment and emphasizing the importance of the CSO-UN dialogue, Myles Geiran, Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Moldova, said “Ireland promotes inclusive, human rights–centered approaches to build enduring peace, while recognizing that every peace process is unique. By sharing lessons in forums like this and contributing to global dialogue, we can learn from one another.”

^{Myles Geiran, Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Moldova
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova}

Jibecke Joensson, Head of EU & UN Affairs and Brussels Office for CMI welcomed the opportunity to co-chair this year’s CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding, which was established by the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in 2023. She noted the UN efforts to co-create “this new and unique initiative to enhance civil society participation throughout the UN Peacebuilding Architecture.” “In the lead up to the Summit of the Future, I can genuinely say that we felt the concerted effort throughout the UN structures to work with civil society and try to find new ways to do so.” Joensson said.

^{Left to right: Yesim Oruc, UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Moldova, Jasmin Sørensen, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Denmark to the Republic of Moldova, Jibecke Joensson, Head of EU & UN Affairs and Brussels Office for CMI
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova}

Bridging Global Frameworks with Local Realities

During the event, civil society representatives explored how the UN system can have a unified approach that connects peace, human rights, development and humanitarian action – bridging global frameworks with regional, national and local realities.

Jasmin Sørensen, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Denmark to the Republic of Moldova, emphasized “This year is a special year for Denmark as we hold the Presidency of the EU Council and have been elected as a member of the UN Security Council. In both roles, Denmark is firmly committed to advancing peacebuilding, the WPS agenda, human rights. We believe that inclusive dialogue and broad participation, including of the civil society, are indispensable for moving societies from conflict toward coexistence and sustainable peace.“

^{Dominika Stojanoska, Country Representative of UN Women Moldova
Photo credit: Dumitru Goncear/UN Women Moldova}

Dominika Stojanoska, Country Representative of UN Women Moldova, followed-up on the achievements of the Open Day for Regional Women, Peace and Security Dialogue with civil society organized in 2024, by UN Women and UN-DPPA-DPO encouraging participants to continue building on these: “by defining and aligning the global agenda in response to local realities. and by institutionalizing civil society engagement throughout the UN Peacebuilding Architecture and beyond, ensuring that local actors are systematically included in policy and decision making.”

Next Steps

The dialogue will result in key recommendations that will inform the third annual CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding, scheduled for 10-11 December 2025 in Geneva.

This event was organized by UN Women with support from the Government of Denmark through the regional project “Enhancing Women's Leadership for Resilient and Peaceful Societies”, together with CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation (co-chairs of the initiative with the UN Peacebuilding Support Office) and in collaboration with Ireland and Germany.