WEASA

We are glad to share that our alumna from Albania 🇦🇱 Dr Ines Stasa has published her book on "Transitional Justice in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia" a comparative framework analysis in Springer.

This book examines transitional justice in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, three Balkan countries navigating the challenges of reckoning with past human rights violations while building democratic institutions. Analysing truth commissions, war crimes tribunals, reparations programs, and institutional reforms, it assesses the effectiveness of these mechanisms in fostering justice, reconciliation, and political stability.

We congratulate Ines on this wonderful achievement and wish her continued academic growth and success.

Get access to the book here: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-89865-5

Exploring media freedom and media literacy in Armenia 🇦🇲➡️🇬🇪: the story of a WEASA P2P Meeting

As a human rights lawyer currently engaged in promoting media freedom, democratic accountability, and the rule of law, WEASA alumna Eka Mamrikishvili carried out a study visit aimed at deepening her understanding of media freedom, media literacy, and information resilience in Armenia.

We thank Eka for such her dedication and the activities she carried out in Armenia. Special thanks go to Armen Grigoryan who hosted and helped Eke with all her arrangements, Viktoria Melkonyan, Suren Deheryan for fostering intergenerational exchange!

More information can be found here: https://www.weasa.org/2025/11/28/weasa-peer-to-peer-story-of-eka-mamrikishvili-exploring-media-freedom-and-media-literacy-in-armenia/

College of Europe in Natolin The German Marshall Fund of the United States Polish American Freedom Foundation

Strengthening digital resilience through lessons from Sarajevo 🇧🇦➡️🇺🇦: the story of WEASA P2P Meeting.

WEASA alumna Anna Romandash travelled to Sarajevo to study how Bosnia’s experience in countering disinformation and rebuilding institutional trust can support efforts in Ukraine and across the region.

Huge thanks to Anna, and to the experts who contributed.
Special appreciation to alumni Amina Izmirlić, Minel Abaz, and Muamer Hirkić for fostering intergenerational exchange!

More information can be found here: www.weasa.org/2025/11/27/weasa-peer-to-peer-story-of-anna-romandash-strengthening-digital-resilience-through-lessons-from-sarajevo/

College of Europe in Natolin The German Marshall Fund of the United States Polish American Freedom Foundation

We are happy to share that 6 WEASA alumni were published on New Eastern Europe magazine about the status of civil society in their own countries. Congratuletions Arshaluis Mghdesyan, Zumrud Pashayeva, Nini Lezhava, Zmicier Mickievic, Sofija Popovic and Tamuna Gamkrelidze!

We thank our long lasting partner New Eastern Europe for granting this chance to our alumni.

The latest issue of New Eastern Europe is now out!

More than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus continue to face the legacy of authoritarianism and fragile democratic institutions. In this context, civil society has emerged as a space where citizens negotiate power, demand accountability, and strive to shape their collective futures.

This issue brings together critical reflections on the current state of civil society and the NGO sector in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia. While each country follows its own political trajectory, the authors highlight a shared concern: democratic backsliding, repression of civic actors, and dependence on external funding. Yet, they also reveal stories of resilience, dignity, and transformative civic engagement that continue to shape the democratic aspirations of these societies.

Become a member and get access to our latest issue 'On shaky ground'.

🔊 Alumni P2P Meetings are calling!
Looking to grow professionally, share ideas, or get guidance?

🔹Think about your current goals,
🔹 Find the right alumni host,
🔹 And apply for the WEASA P2P Meetings before September 21!

📅 Don’t miss this chance to connect, collaborate, and thrive with the WEASA community.

Details: https://www.weasa.org/2025/09/11/the-call-for-the-weasa2025-peer-to-peer-meetings-is-open-now/

📢 The call for P2P Professional Meetings is now OPEN!

Are you ready to reconnect with your WEASA network? This is your opportunity to visit fellow alumni, share insights, and initiate new collaborations.

📅 Apply by 21.09 | More info ➡️ https://weasa.org//2025/09/11/the-call-for-the-weasa2025-peer-to-peer-meetings-is-open-now/

📢 The call for P2P Professional Meetings is now OPEN!

Are you ready to reconnect with your WEASA network? This is your opportunity to visit fellow alumni, share insights, and initiate new collaborations.

📅 Apply by 21.09 | More info ➡️ https://weasa.org//2025/09/11/the-call-for-the-weasa2025-peer-to-peer-meetings-is-open-now/

according to our participants! 😎
College of Europe in Natolin The German Marshall Fund of the United States

🔙 Flashback to the Warsaw Euro-Atlantic Summer Academy (WEASA) 2025

What makes WEASA so unique? It’s not just that mid-career professionals attend but shape the experience through active engagement and peer-driven learning.

One of the most unforgettable moments of edition was the Oxford-style debate on the motion👇

“This House believes that foreign interference, not internal weakness, is the main cause of democratic backsliding in the Eastern Partnership.”

⚖️ The arguments were passionate, informed, and deeply nuanced. And the outcome was a draw perfectly reflecting the complexity of the democratic challenges facing the region today.

Founded in 2013 by the Polish American Freedom Foundation, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the College of Europe in Natolin, WEASA is a fully funded summer school for mid-career professionals from the Eastern Partnership region working in civil society, media, public administration, academia, and beyond.

Each year, WEASA invites its alumni back not just to reconnect, but also to lead as Group Facilitators.

This year, we were lucky to have Iryna Krasnoshtan and Irakli Jgharkava take on that role, and they truly shined! 🌟

Thank you both for your energy, insight, and leadership 🥰