By supporting initiatives that foster understanding, reconciliation, and social cohesion, philanthropy can play a critical role in safeguarding the fabric of our society.

KoneKtor – Philanthropy East Forum is the largest and longest running network of philanthropic and civil society organisations focused specifically on issues in central and eastern Europe. This year, the annual gathering was hosted by Porticus in Prague, Czechia and focused on the theme of ‘Dialogue, Democracy, and Diversity’.

KoneKtor 2024 aimed to achieve three main objectives: help the philanthropic sector understand its unique role in fostering social cohesion, bridge divides, and innovate how we maintain connection in an era when democracy and civil society are under relentless threat.

Day one

Opening plenary

The welcome speech, delivered by speakers from KoneKtor’s steering group, outlined the themes and objectives of this year’s forum and invited all delegates to ‘learn, reflect, and connect’ while practicing openness and kindness with each other. To conclude the opening remarks, Markus Janzen from Porticus addressed the delegates, who reminded the audience ‘we are activists. We do a lot of crazy s**t’ before proudly donning a black T-shirt with the slogan ‘F**k You Putin’ and a rudely gesticulating skeleton hand – to the utter delight of the room.

Keynote speech

Zsuzsanna Szelenyi, Programme Director of CEU Democracy Institute, delivered an emotive and intelligent keynote on the topic of political polarisation. Outlining some of the specific characteristics of polarisation in eastern Europe, Szelenyi laid the basis for her analysis, stating: ‘words are like petrol. The smallest spark can ignite political polarisation.’ To a rapt and attentive audience, she went on to claim: ‘trust and solidarity is at a low level in eastern Europe’ and ‘we must be able to cooperate intelligently, and both compete and collaborate with each other. We must start the building blocks of hope-based speech as polarisation always starts with dangerous speech.’

Session one

Piecing the future together: Climate and nature

Chaired by Dorothea Wawrinka (advocacy coordinator, HELVETAS), panel speakers Marika Djolai (policy analyst of Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group) and Marsela Pećanac (founder, Atelier for community transformation) explored how foundations have a responsibility to protect the planet and our climate, and the ways they can contribute to building a just and sustainable future.

Both speakers addressed how climate change disproportionally affects marginalised communities. Pećanac, in particular, spoke passionately about Bosnia and the quest to save the ‘blue heart of Europe’. Appealing to the room she claimed, ‘this is not a project, it’s movement building.’

After opening speeches, the floor was opened for discussion. The audience raised many topics and questions, but the most time was spent discussing how, if, and when to engage private sector organisations.

The room conveyed a lot of mistrust and bad blood between activists, civil society organisations, and the private sector. Some compared businesses to ‘zombies’, others referenced the corruptness of local authorities. One audience member claimed, ‘civil societies are writing reports, but no one is reading them.’ While another remarked on the systematic problems that prevent progress: ‘countries attract companies that want to work in that regulation space. Shouldn’t we be concentrating on changing the system?’    

For Pećanac, engaging private sector businesses is about ‘finding common ground. Finding humanity’, while Djolai used her closing remarks to address the frustration in the room, claiming ‘the private sector is part of the solution. They have to be because they are not going to disappear [but, yes] talking is hard, it’s like hitting the wall consistently.’

Interactive game

Apparently, it would not be KoneKtor without the annual rock, paper, scissors contest. This year’s forum-wide tournament was hosted by the extremely talented public speaker Nedim Krajišnik, who claimed that KoneKtor’s steering committee spent ‘the most time’ planning this particular aspect of the forum. Emerging victorious from fierce competition, session one speaker Marika Djolai walked away with the top prize of a cuddly toy prize and, according to Krajišnik, ‘eternal bragging rights’.

Session two

We exclude. Therefore we exist!

The second session of day one explored why exclusion is intrinsic to human identity. Chaired by Nedim Krajišnik, speakers David Tišer (director, Ara Art) and Timea Junghaus (executive director, European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture) led a conversation on the layered discrimination faced by Roma, Sinti, and LGBT+ communities in central and eastern Europe.

In his opening statement, Krajišnik set a contentious tone for the session, claiming: ‘there is far too much discussion about inclusion.’

Tišer and Junghaus began by focusing on the arts and its transformative power for people from marginalised communities. The urgency of the situation was not understated. Tišer exclaimed: ‘art is not prioritised…Roma are the people without land, but if we don’t do something, they will be the people without culture.’

The panel went on to discuss the ‘moment of real danger’ that the Roma people are facing. Tišer went so far as to endorse segregated education: ‘I never thought I would be an advocate for segregated education, [but] we don’t speak about education and housing, we speak about daily violence.’

Junghaus acknowledged the sentiments of her fellow panelist but used her closing remarks to share a positive message: ‘in dark times, you always have love’.

Session three

Arts and culture…is there a safe space for us?

Day one of KoneKtor 2024 ended with a showcase of three short films by Roma artist, filmmaker, and producer Vera Lacková.

Through the examples of her work, Lacková displayed the trajectory of her life as an activist and an outsider. Human bonding, human rights, and marginalisation, were recurring themes in her work, as was the idea of art as an essential tool to foster understanding and unity in a world of division.

Day two

Day two of KoneKtor 2024 opened with a surpirse speech by Philea CEO, Delphine Moralis. Moralis apologised for missing the first day of the forum but went on to share her appreciation for the 330 organisations and 7,500 foundations that make up the Philea and KoneKtor network: ‘We call our network a forest because of its diversity. Old and new organisations all share a soil that requires nurturing.’

Moralis acknowledged the ‘heavy and important responsibility of philanthropy’ in fostering connection and embracing diversity of opinion, ending finally with a quote from Nobel Peace Prize laurate, Rigoberta Menchú Tum: ‘peace cannot exist without justice. Justice cannot exist without fairness. Fairness cannot exist without development. Development cannot exist without democracy. Democracy cannot exist without respect for identity and culture of people.’

Session one

Talking with the enemy

Day two, session one, featured speakers Vesna Bajsanski-Agic (vice president of strategic alliances and global development, TechSoup Global) and Kristina Seslija (head of field office, UN agencies).

Introduced as people from two different sides of the Bosnian war, Bajsanski-Agic and Seslija sat together at a table, facing the room of delegates. A pack of tissues was placed between them.

The following discussion was a stark and moving portrayal of the enduring trauma and challenges faced by individuals and communities in the aftermath of conflict: ‘we were taught to hate. To justify why our people were killing people on the other side. In war, you pretend to be human, but nothing about war is.’

Both speakers, throughout, remained affectionate with each other, holding hands and smiling through tears. The pain of their shared experience was palpable. Many delegates in the audience were moved to tears. Some, who had travelled from war-torn Ukraine and Palestine, left the room overwhelmed. The overarching message of their session was: ‘surviving war was easier than surviving peace…we are still not living in peace.’

The session concluded with a call to action. Bajsanski-Agic and Seslija stressed the importance of teaching children to be peacebuilders, cultivating empathy and understanding from a young age. The session served as a stark reminder of the enduring consequences of war and the urgent need for ongoing efforts towards reconciliation and a more peaceful future.

Session two

Part two: Navigating terminology and power dynamics in Jewish-Palestinian dialogue

The final session of KoneKtor 2024 was delivered by two representatives from the School for Peace, Roi Silberberg (director) and Noor Abu Ras (coordinator).

Building on part one, part two of the session aimed to equip participants with the ability to discuss sensitive issues in Jewish-Palestinian relations, focusing on the impact of using emotionally loaded and often largely inadequate terms to describe the crisis in the Middle East. Including ‘conflict’, ‘apartheid’, ‘genocide’, ‘occupation’, and ‘colonisation’, among others.

The workshop revealed a consensus for the importance of fostering empathy and understanding, in spite of an individual’s experiences with horrific war. Many participants lamented the lack of adequate spaces to share their emotions, experiences, and strategies for coping. Some, who did not have direct experiences with war, expressed frustration or reluctance to use terms that were inaccurate, potentially offensive either, or did not reflect their personal beliefs. As Silberberg pointed out, ‘It’s not about optimism. It’s about taking responsibility and acknowledging the challenges we face.’

Addressing Silberberg and Abu Ras directly, one participant shared their own experiences of living through the Bosnian war: ‘what can I say to you that will help you? Time. It helps to heal.’ At which, again, many of the participants were moved to tears. 

Noor and Roi successfully created a supportive and inclusive atmosphere during the session, allowing participants to share their grief, sadness, and frustration openly. Despite diverse perspectives and backgrounds in the room, attendees’ empathy served as a bridge, connecting them to those who had experienced or were currently experiencing war. The workshop was a masterclass in the power of compassion in overcoming divisions.

Closing reflections

KoneKtor 2024 revealed the undeniable fact that polarisation has become a pervasive force in global society. In the face of such divisiveness, it is imperative to prioritise initiatives that foster empathy, understanding, and reconciliation. The sessions at KoneKtor 2024, which acknowledged the profound impact of violence and ongoing trauma, while simultaneously striving to rebuild human connection, offered a valuable model for philanthropic foundations. By constructing bridges, connecting people from diverse backgrounds, and providing safe havens for difficult conversations, philanthropy can work towards healing the deep wounds that fracture societies. Such efforts are essential to safeguard the very fabric of our society.

Elaine Stabler is the Magazine Editor at Alliance magazine.