Last weekend, October 24, the Bjelovar Center for the Development of Civil Society marked its 15th anniversary. The initial idea of ​​creating an association that will promote the development of civil society by strengthening citizens' self-awareness for active and responsible participation in society is still alive today. Through various activities from its inception until today, it has brought the Association to the position of one of the leading non-profit organizations of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County in the field of development, implementation, consulting, promotion and improvement of activities in various areas of civil activity.

BCRCD's many years of experience, successfully implemented activities and projects, and ultimately an expert team are the basis for the continuous creation and improvement of the Association's capacities. BCRCD also participated in the creation of several development strategies for the area of ​​the City of Bjelovar and the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, thus fulfilling its goal as an organization that systematically encourages the exchange of information, knowledge and experiences through social partnership and intersectoral dialogue.

A developed civil society represents one of the key levers of the development of modern society and is a prerequisite for sustainable economic and social development. That is why it is of great importance to encourage the development of all forms of non-profit organizations that complement the public and for-profit sectors with their activities and raise the quality of life of the communities in which they operate.

Today, BCRCD is among the leading associations of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County in terms of withdrawing funds from national and European Union funds, as evidenced by a whole series of successfully implemented projects, as well as the latest in the series of projects, My Time and Incubator of Ideas. The EU project "My Time" offers fellow citizens in retirement a better way to spend their free time, the opportunity to improve their health and actively spend their free time through educational lectures or recreation. Through the EU project Incubator of ideas, the Stjepan Radić Local Board was renovated and organized as a coworking space that offers associations, entrepreneurs, freelancers, but also students a space for work, holding meetings, education, events and other activities according to their needs.

In addition to the promotion and development of civil society and the development and implementation of national and EU projects, BCRCD is also active in the development and promotion of entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on social entrepreneurship. Thus, through the company Ured 4 You, whose founder was funded by the EU project, the Association revived the story of the Stara ura restaurant, well-known to the people of Bjelovar, through the newly renovated facility of the Ura restaurant, while through the company of Moira Laheza, it is launching cheese and meat processing plants that will also operate on the principles of social entrepreneurship.

BCRCD thanks the members, partners and other collaborators who have supported the work of the Association all these years and looks forward to future collaborations. The doors of the Association are open to everyone who wants to contribute to positive changes in the community.