MEGAPHONE is an annual event for 100+ activists from Central and Eastern Europe and Caucasus (each time from around 26 countries), supporting them in the times of disinformation, democracies backsliding and shrinking civic spaces. Since 2018, MEGAPHONE has welcomed 866 participations, though its eight editions. The event’s focus changes each year, depending on current events and the most urgent needs of CSOs and activists in the region. At the same time, the goals stay the same – it’s always about equipping activists, CSO professionals, and grassroot movements with skills and knowledge relevant to work in their areas (women’s rights, LGBTQ+, climate crisis, etc.) as well as giving them a sense of “being in it together.”
This Year’s Focus
This year, three themes have clearly stood out. First, activists feel increasingly disconnected, from each other and folks they serve, working in silos, after years of crisis and polarization. Second, there is a strong need to regroup, as organizations reassess strategies and search for solidarity across movements, generations, and regions. Third, many have acknowledged the urgency to rewire their approaches, moving away from the survival-mode routines and embracing new tools, formats, and ways of working that can make activism more effective and sustainable. Therefore, this year’s edition focused on three, interconnected themes: “Reconnect, Regroup, Rewire”.
These themes were not only central to the event’s program design but also resonated deeply with the participants. Here’s how they described their experiences:
“My biggest takeaway was realizing how, despite coming from very different contexts, many of us are dealing with the same types of traumas and challenges — often intergenerational. It reminded me how connected our struggles are, and how much we can learn from one another.”
“My biggest takeaway from MEGAPHONE is the combination of meeting many inspiring new people and gaining practical knowledge I can directly apply in my work. [...]I also found the learning about how to use AI in everyday work especially valuable, as it will significantly help and improve the way I operate in the future.”
Agenda Highlights
The event’s agenda reflected these priorities through sessions such as “Building Wide and Diverse Coalitions for Good Causes", "Hope-based Comms in Seemingly Hopeless Times", or "Between Connection and Conflict: Activism in Polarized Society" among others. The second day of the event focused on digital and AI-powered solutions that have proven useful in the context of cybersecurity, strengthening CSOs' role in relation to AI development and using data for activism.
Event in Numbers
MEGAPHONE 2025 brought together 116 participants from 31 countries across the world.
Over two packed days, we hosted 15 workshops, 3 interactive sessions, 3 tech tool demos, 3 lightning talks, and 2 self-organized spaces by MEGAPHONE participants - all powered by the expertise of 20 session leaders:
116 participants in total,
76 participants (activists, CSO professionals, Digital Activism Program Partners, donors),
20 TechSoup and local Partners,
20 session leaders,
31 countries represented.
While majority of participants came from the Western Balkans - stemming from this year’s host country and host city of Sarajevo - the event has also attracted participants from the Visegrad, the Baltics, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus regions, as well as activists and session leaders residing in other parts of Europe.
MEGAPHONE 2025 In Participants’ Words
The event’s main highlights according to the Participants:
"My biggest takeaway from MEGAPHONE is the people. This community genuinely expanded my worldview — through conversations, shared experiences, and the way participants looked at technology, security, and social impact. [...] For the first time in many years, I felt truly comfortable, included, and "at home" at an event. The atmosphere of trust, curiosity, and high-level professionalism was incredible. [...] This experience reminded me why I do what I do — and why our work in cybersecurity and responsible AI matters more than ever."
“My biggest takeaway from MEGAPHONE 2025 was the inspiration to stay authentic, think bigger, and apply the practical strategies I learned to improve my work.”
“The sense of community, trust, positive energy, and the feeling of solidarity was so present and tangible - and people need it so much at present times - and it was so important for participants that they could talk openly on topics important for them.”
➡️ To dive deeper and get the real feel of this year’s event’s atmosphere, people, and key takeaways, watch the MEGAPHONE 2025 Impact Video:
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Accept cookiesℹ️ MEGAPHONE 2025 was organized as a part of TechSoup’s Digital Activism Program, in collaboration with the regional Partner, Youth Resource Center Tuzla. It was made possible with the support of Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans.
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