The Democracy Award is presented annually in the frame of the Democratic Society Promotion (DSP) project, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA), implemented by the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF). 

The Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Kosovo Patrick Etienne praised the courage and dedication of the 2017 Democracy Award winners, highlighting the need for a more vibrant civil society, which drives the governments towards more transparency and accountability.

This year’s awardees join the individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to strengthening the democracy in Kosovo, such as the Lumbardhi Foundation, which were awarded the prize in 2016 for the successful protection initiative of the Lumbardhi Cinema in Prizren.

The Democratic Society Promotion (DSP) project aims at supporting the development of democratic society in Kosovo, supporting initiatives of the civil society both at local and central level. So far, 61 civil society organizations have benefited from the DSP grant scheme as of its launch in 2014.