Dear colleagues and friends,

We feel deep sadness after the earthquake that took place in Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023, in which thousands of people lost their lives.

In our capacity as an EU project working with civil society in the Western Balkans and Türkiye for the past four years, we must express our deep condolences and solidarity with all those affected by these tragic events, including our own EU TACSO 3 staff members and friends.

We would like to pay tribute to all civil society organisations and volunteers helping with rescue and humanitarian efforts.

Once again, unfortunate events have demonstrated the importance of a strong civil society in emergency situations, as well as the importance of collaboration between authorities and CSOs in both emergency preparation and response. Civil society is also an essential factor in preventing and mitigating the effects of disasters.

In the coming months, EU TACSO will continue to support an enabling environment for civil society and will strengthen efforts to build civil society capacities for rights-based approaches to disaster preparedness and response.

EU TACSO 3 Team