Brussels, 17-20 March ‘25 – EfVET attended the “Civil Society Week 2025” hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee from 17 March to 20 March, with the theme “Strengthening Cohesion and Participation in Polarised Societies”.

—

Find out more here: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/civil-society-week-2025

—

The four-day event brought together civil society organizations, policymakers, and engaged citizens from across Europe to discuss the challenges facing our society today—including polarization, democratic participation, and social cohesion. This dialogue was particularly significant given that in recent years, overlapping crises have fueled polarization across Europe, eroding trust in democratic institutions.

Throughout the week, experts, EU policymakers, youth representatives, stakeholders, and civil society engaged in critical debates and collaborative workshops, discussing European great cohesion, social unity, collective action, innovation leading and enhanced funding.

EfVET is proud to have been part of this dynamic forum and remains committed to building a more interconnected and participatory Europe. As recently mentioned by ETF Director, Pilvi Torsti, we need “a bottom-up approach, in a structured way”: as VET providers association, we warmly advocate for a collaborative process between institutions and other stakeholders in order to make decision-making process an authentic co-creation step where everybody can have a voice.