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Study on the Development of Civil Society in Făgăraș Country

Posted on November 11, 2023 Posted By: ICF FRI Categories: Community Foundations & SDGs
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29.06.2023 / Publications

Authors: Stefan Cibian Ph.D, Magdalena Drăgan Ph.D., Silvia Fierăscu Ph.D., Edi Dragoș Beserman Ph.D. Candidate, Levente Fejes Zoltan Ph.D., Ianis Rușitoru, Laura Vișan, Ph.D., Adriana Cârnu.

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Făgăraș Country stands out with its anti-communist resistance, which generated communities aware of the importance of civil liberties. The post-1989 transition meant a challenging period for the Făgăraș Country, because of the economic collapse and the depopulation, both limiting social dynamics and implication in the community, and also the capacity to articulate civic initiative.

Based on the analyzed data, we can say that Făgăraș Country benefits from a diverse civil society. In the broader area of Făgăraș Country we identified 1.069 NGOs registered in the NGO Registry from the Ministry of Justice. Of these, 157 have the residency in Făgăraș (15%). At the regional level, 60% of the organizations are found in urban communities, and 40% in rural communities. The organizations` profile from the urban and rural areas differ, those from rural communities are centered on activities connected to agriculture and local & community development; while those from urban communities are more social-charitable, recreational, sport-related, and cultural centered.

We find a relatively proactive civil society in the region since 2010, characterized by kick-starting local and regional activities, supported for longer periods of time. Sports, recreational, cultural, and community activities manage to be recurrently organized, signaling the consolidation of local initiatives, and a sustained capacity over several years. This tendency is emphasized in the city of Făgăraș, and in the urban context of the region, the rural context having a small number of initiatives, with some exemptions (for example Saschiz, Mândra, Șona, Cincșor, Cincu, Șercaia, Drăguș, Șinca Nouă, to name a few).

For the development of the sector`s capacity we consider important the following:

  1. The development of a community of involved persons in the civil society of the Făgăraș Country, that should ensure a number of  constant meetings at a sector level.
  2. The identification, renovation, equipping, and activation of physical spaces that can sustain the activities of the civil society sector.
  3. It is also essential to shape an online space (platform) that can facilitate mutual knowledge exchange, access to essential information (such as information about funding, contact templates, legal updates, etc), sharing of information, development of a calendar of activities for the civil society community, as well as other joint activities. The online space is also essential for including those persons that are dedicated to the Făgăraș Country, but live in other countries.
  4. Facilitating constant learning processes for the individuals and organizations from the civil society sector.

Departments: Policy Analysis and Outreach Department, Research Department, Center on Global Affairs and Post Development, Society, Crisis, and Resilience Program

Regions:  Făgăraș Country, Romania

Themes: Philanthropy and Community Development, Civil Society, Democracy, and Democratization, Sustainable Development Goals