NGOs Open Days 2026
14th edition of the NGOs Open Days 2026 were held.
During this year NGOs Open Days, held from 11 to 13 June, that Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) organises traditionally every year, 215 registered events were held. The events were held throughout Croatia so the visitors, interested citizens and public had the opportunity to participate in it, to get to know about their activities, as well as become the member of some of associations and/or include as volunteer in their work.
The introductory Conference was held in Osijek this year, on 11 June. With the theme “Volunteering for sustainable future: Global challenges and local solutions” this year NGOs Open Days manifestation follows the celebration of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026). The United Nations (UN), highlighting the need for strengthening volunteering for reaching Sustainable Development Goals in the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly at the end of 2024, recognizes the universal wish of people contributing to the society through volunteering, as well as the key role of youth, welcoming also the participation of the people with disabilities.
The Conference, beside the representatives of the state administration, regional administration and local self-government, i.e. representatives of the Osijek-Baranja County and the City of Osijek, as the host, gathered also the representatives of the associations that have long-term experience in promoting and developing volunteering and voluntary work. They also have a long-term experience in the concrete work with volunteers and volunteer work organising in their areas of responsibility, from environmental protection and sustainable development, providing psychological support to beneficiaries (children and youth), to caring for and supporting vulnerable groups in need during both crisis and peacetime situations. Helena Beus, authorised to perform the duties of the Head of the GOfNGOs, Marija Garić, mayor’s delegate and authorised to perform the duties of the Head of the Administrative Department for Common Affairs and Local Administation, prof. Ph D Mirna Habuda-Stanić, the Osijek-Baranja County delegate and Krešimir Makvić, Head of the Sector for strategic planning in the system of social care of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Care addressed the gathered at the beginning.
Helena Beus emphasised that during all 14 years there have been more than 5.000 events that brought the work of associations to citizens and motivated them to actively get involved in their local communities. Marija Garić expressed contentment with holding the Conference in Osijek which this year marks 20 years since the signing of the Charter on cooperation between the City and civic associations in 2006. The Charter was initiated by the OSCE, which also drafted the document, and the City has accepted and participated in it for 20 years. Mirna Habuda-Stanić, thanking at the beginning to the Conference organisers, pointed out that the volunteering is an indicator of the strength of the society and no matter how strong and developed we are, and how well-organised we are as a society, there are always groups that need our help, need a warm hand, and sometimes just a word is enough. The volunteering through associations shows the strength of this society towards to those the most vulnerable. According to Krešimir Makvić, form the Ministry’s perspective, volunteering represents an important contribution in social inclusion and social cohesion, so they try to systematically invest in the volunteering system in the Republic of Croatia. The Ministry primarily does that through the specific legal framework, the work of the National Committee for Volunteering Development and adopting the first National program for Volunteering Development, as well as through the support to the volunteer centres and civil society organisations, that are the most important in the chain of organising volunteering. He also highlighted that the volunteering represents one of the mechanisms of the social inclusion and strengthening of social participation and support to vulnerable groups (this is particularly important from the Ministry’s perspective).
The first panel addressed questions about the development of volunteering, public policies, social impact, and some future challenges. The second panel focused on presenting good practices of associations, that is, on getting to know people and organisations that show every day what volunteering looks like in practice and how much it can change the lives of individuals and communities.
After the Conference, the GOfNGOs representatives visited the Animal Shelter of the Association Pobjede presented in the second panel by the panelist Maša Riznić. The space is quite large and well-maintained and we were informed that despite the high response from citizens for adoption, there are still more of those who abandon pets. After the shelter, the visit to the Association Izvor in Kneževi Vinogradi followed. The Association provide support to vulnerable groups of inhabitants, and that the elderly, as well as the persons with disabilities (social services from the transportation, going to the doctor, laundry, to organisation of free time in the form of workshops, education and local socializing). They have been implementing several projects currently, and among others the projects under the ESF+ Call “Zaželi” of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Care.
More information on the Conference are available on the link (https://udruge.gov.hr/vijesti/odrzana-konferencija-volontiranje-za-odrzivu-buducnost-globalni-izazovi-i-lokalna-rjesenja/6314). The recording is available on the GOfNGOs YouTube Chanell.
As for the NGOs Open Days Award, in addition to 5 subscriptions to the Udruga.hr magazine, it also includes training to strengthen the capacities of associations in promotion, communication, and crowdfunding starting this year, and a total of 18 associations received this award.
In addition, the Public Call “Communication Support to the Associations’ Community Service Programmes” was published and implemented also this year, which GOfNGOs carries out in cooperation with the Croatian Association for Public Relations. Three financial supports have been allocated by the Decision on the financial support in the amount of 4.000 Eur individually from the State Budget. The support implies the expert communication support in promotion activities that they already implement in order to contribute to volunteering and its values promoting, as well as improving capacities of volunteering organisers for effective volunteer management with the view of improving the quality of services public benefit interest aiming at contributing of volunteering in the implementation of reforms for social and economic growth and democratic and sustainable development.
During this year NGOs Open Days, held from 11 to 13 June, that Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) organises traditionally every year, 215 registered events were held. The events were held throughout Croatia so the visitors, interested citizens and public had the opportunity to participate in it, to get to know about their activities, as well as become the member of some of associations and/or include as volunteer in their work.
The introductory Conference was held in Osijek this year, on 11 June. With the theme “Volunteering for sustainable future: Global challenges and local solutions” this year NGOs Open Days manifestation follows the celebration of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026). The United Nations (UN), highlighting the need for strengthening volunteering for reaching Sustainable Development Goals in the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly at the end of 2024, recognizes the universal wish of people contributing to the society through volunteering, as well as the key role of youth, welcoming also the participation of the people with disabilities.
The Conference, beside the representatives of the state administration, regional administration and local self-government, i.e. representatives of the Osijek-Baranja County and the City of Osijek, as the host, gathered also the representatives of the associations that have long-term experience in promoting and developing volunteering and voluntary work. They also have a long-term experience in the concrete work with volunteers and volunteer work organising in their areas of responsibility, from environmental protection and sustainable development, providing psychological support to beneficiaries (children and youth), to caring for and supporting vulnerable groups in need during both crisis and peacetime situations. Helena Beus, authorised to perform the duties of the Head of the GOfNGOs, Marija Garić, mayor’s delegate and authorised to perform the duties of the Head of the Administrative Department for Common Affairs and Local Administation, prof. Ph D Mirna Habuda-Stanić, the Osijek-Baranja County delegate and Krešimir Makvić, Head of the Sector for strategic planning in the system of social care of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Care addressed the gathered at the beginning.
Helena Beus emphasised that during all 14 years there have been more than 5.000 events that brought the work of associations to citizens and motivated them to actively get involved in their local communities. Marija Garić expressed contentment with holding the Conference in Osijek which this year marks 20 years since the signing of the Charter on cooperation between the City and civic associations in 2006. The Charter was initiated by the OSCE, which also drafted the document, and the City has accepted and participated in it for 20 years. Mirna Habuda-Stanić, thanking at the beginning to the Conference organisers, pointed out that the volunteering is an indicator of the strength of the society and no matter how strong and developed we are, and how well-organised we are as a society, there are always groups that need our help, need a warm hand, and sometimes just a word is enough. The volunteering through associations shows the strength of this society towards to those the most vulnerable. According to Krešimir Makvić, form the Ministry’s perspective, volunteering represents an important contribution in social inclusion and social cohesion, so they try to systematically invest in the volunteering system in the Republic of Croatia. The Ministry primarily does that through the specific legal framework, the work of the National Committee for Volunteering Development and adopting the first National program for Volunteering Development, as well as through the support to the volunteer centres and civil society organisations, that are the most important in the chain of organising volunteering. He also highlighted that the volunteering represents one of the mechanisms of the social inclusion and strengthening of social participation and support to vulnerable groups (this is particularly important from the Ministry’s perspective).
The first panel addressed questions about the development of volunteering, public policies, social impact, and some future challenges. The second panel focused on presenting good practices of associations, that is, on getting to know people and organisations that show every day what volunteering looks like in practice and how much it can change the lives of individuals and communities.
After the Conference, the GOfNGOs representatives visited the Animal Shelter of the Association Pobjede presented in the second panel by the panelist Maša Riznić. The space is quite large and well-maintained and we were informed that despite the high response from citizens for adoption, there are still more of those who abandon pets. After the shelter, the visit to the Association Izvor in Kneževi Vinogradi followed. The Association provide support to vulnerable groups of inhabitants, and that the elderly, as well as the persons with disabilities (social services from the transportation, going to the doctor, laundry, to organisation of free time in the form of workshops, education and local socializing). They have been implementing several projects currently, and among others the projects under the ESF+ Call “Zaželi” of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Care.
More information on the Conference are available on the link (https://udruge.gov.hr/vijesti/odrzana-konferencija-volontiranje-za-odrzivu-buducnost-globalni-izazovi-i-lokalna-rjesenja/6314). The recording is available on the GOfNGOs YouTube Chanell.
As for the NGOs Open Days Award, in addition to 5 subscriptions to the Udruga.hr magazine, it also includes training to strengthen the capacities of associations in promotion, communication, and crowdfunding starting this year, and a total of 18 associations received this award.
In addition, the Public Call “Communication Support to the Associations’ Community Service Programmes” was published and implemented also this year, which GOfNGOs carries out in cooperation with the Croatian Association for Public Relations. Three financial supports have been allocated by the Decision on the financial support in the amount of 4.000 Eur individually from the State Budget. The support implies the expert communication support in promotion activities that they already implement in order to contribute to volunteering and its values promoting, as well as improving capacities of volunteering organisers for effective volunteer management with the view of improving the quality of services public benefit interest aiming at contributing of volunteering in the implementation of reforms for social and economic growth and democratic and sustainable development.
WE THANK TO ALL THOSE WHO OPENED THEIR DOOR THIS YEAR TOO AND PRESENTED THEMSELVES TO CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY REGARDING VOLUNTEER WORK. WE ALSO BELIEVE THEY INTERESTED SOME OF THE VISITORS IN JOINING THE WORK OF ASSOCIATIONS, AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERING!