PRISTINA – The Civil Society & Think tank Forum (CSF) 2026 will take place in Pristina from 5 to 7 October under the slogan “Proof, Not Promises”, bringing together civil society organisations and think tanks from all six Western Balkan countries to access progress on regional commitments and formulate recommendations for EU integration.
Germany’s Federal Government Commission for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, Lars Castelluci, and former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta are among the speakers scheduled to address the gathering.
The forum is the official civil society platform of the Berlin Process, providing an opportunity for organisations from across the region to develop joint, evidence-based recommendations.
Recommendations adopted in Pristina will be formally presented at the Berlin Process Leaders’ Summit in Podgorica on 22 October.
Organised by Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, this year’s edition is hosted by the Government of Kosovo in cooperation with the Government of Montenegro, which holds the Berlin Process chairmanship.
During the forum, six thematic sessions will address democratic resilience and security, digital governance, civic space and democracy, the green transition, competitiveness and access to the EU Single Market, and the design of the enlargement process.
Alongside the six thematic tracks, a series of spotlight sessions bring in the voices that cut across every track – from women in diplomacy and minority rights to the political futures of Gen Z.
CSF is the official civil society platform of the Berlin Process, established in 2014 to advance regional cooperation, economic integration, and the Western Balkans’ European perspective.
Since 2015, it has enabled civil society organizations and think tanks from across the region to formulate joint, evidence-based policy recommendations and present them directly to Heads of Government ahead of the annual Leaders’ Summit.
The 2026 edition is hosted by the Government of Kosovo and organized by Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, building on its earlier stewardship of CSF Tirana 2023.
The 2026 edition also builds on the work of Ignita, the OSF-WB regional platform advocating for EU enlargement and increasing regional agency of the Western Balkans within European fora. Ignita serves as a knowledge partner for the 2026 thematic working groups.
