OTS: International Visegrad Fund celebrates 25 years of cooperation...

OTS: International Visegrad Fund celebrates 25 years of cooperation – connecting, inspiring, growing Bratislava, 9 June (TASR/OTS) – The International Visegrad Fund is celebrating 25 years of enhancing cooperation and trust among the countries of Central Europe. Since its establishment in 2000, it has played a key role in connecting people and institutions across the V4 region, as well as in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries. Thanks to thousands of awarded grants, it has become a symbol of stability, professionalism and shared values in a dynamically changing European region. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the International Visegrad Fund’s founding and a quarter-century of supporting regional cooperation, academic and cultural exchange, and innovative projects between the countries of the Visegrad region – Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – and their partners, particularly in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries. Since its establishment in 2000, the Visegrad Fund has served as a cornerstone of Visegrad cooperation. Its mission is to strengthen ties among Central European nations and promote mutual understanding through grant programmes, academic scholarships and artistic residencies. Over the past 25 years, the Visegrad Fund has supported nearly 6,750 projects, benefiting more than 3,500 organisations in over 700 cities. It has facilitated more than 3,000 academic mobilities and over 600 artistic residencies, with total funding exceeding €140 million. “In our region, we are destined to coexist as small and medium-sized nations. The Visegrad Fund strengthens interpersonal ties and partnerships – key pillars of trust. Without trust, there can be no cooperation, and without cooperation, there is no room for research, trade or investment,” said the Executive Director of the International Visegrad Fund, Linda Kapustová Helbichová, on the occasion of the Fund’s 25th anniversary. Projects funded by the Visegrad Fund connect educational and research institutions, cities, nongovernmental organisations and individuals – even beyond the borders of the Visegrad region. Many of these partnerships have long-term impacts and help shape new generations of experts, researchers, artists and leaders. The Visegrad Fund is a politically neutral international organisation that is unique in the region. Over 25 years of activity, it has built experience and expertise in project support not only within the Visegrad region but also in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, especially Ukraine. The Visegrad Fund serves as a bridge and its long-standing work demonstrates as proof of the stability of regional cooperation. The International Visegrad Fund is a trusted brand, built on professionalism and the shared values of the Visegrad region. “Stability, trust and excellence are values we can build on – even in challenging times,” the current Executive Director emphasised. The International Visegrad Fund is an international organisation established by the governments of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries—Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Its mission is to foster closer cooperation and mutual understanding among citizens within the V4 region, as well as between the V4 and other regions, such as the countries of the so-called Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans. The Visegrad Fund contributes to the development of civil society by financing joint grant projects, awarding scholarships, and providing mobility opportunities for artists. Its annual budget of €11 million is equally funded by the governments of the V4 countries. To date, the Fund has supported more than 10,000 grant projects and individual mobility initiatives, with a total funding amount exceeding €140 million. We would like to remind our customers that the materials marked OTS are provided as part of the Original Text Service and The News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) cannot be held responsible for their content.