More than 160 community leaders, representatives of civil society organizations, central and local public authorities, development partners, as well as diaspora representatives gathered on 15 May 2026 in the village of Puhoi, Ialoveni district, to mark three years of activity of the Alliance of Hometown Associations of Moldova. 

The event was organized by the Alliance of Hometown Associations of Moldova, with the support of Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

”In recent years, hometown associations have mobilized financial contributions from the diaspora, volunteer engagement, local co-financing and partnerships among citizens, local public authorities and donors. This ability to build bridges between people and institutions is extremely important. We need stronger communities, civic participation, trust between citizens and institutions, and the capacity of localities to work together for the common good,” mentioned Patrick Etienne, Head of the Governance and Social Cohesion portfolio, Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova. 

“The Alliance of Hometown Associations has now grown to 105 members, strengthening its role as a strategic partner for government institutions and development partners, while also emerging as a strong and credible civil society voice for community and diaspora engagement in Moldova. UNDP is proud to have supported this journey from the onset,” stated Seher Ariner, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova. 

In just three years, the Alliance of Hometown Associations of Moldova has become a national platform for capacity development. So far, 60 hometown associations and 60 local public authorities have benefited from mentoring, training and support aimed at strengthening community cooperation and participatory local development. 

Today, the Alliance brings together 105 hometown associations, representing communities with a total population of more than 359,000 residents and over 6,800 members at the local level. 

“The Alliance started with 60 hometown associations seeking greater support, cooperation and representation for their communities. Today, we have become one of the largest networks of civil society organizations in the Republic of Moldova. We now see more and more localities where people cooperate, mobilize resources and jointly build solutions for their communities,” said Tatiana Solonari, Secretary General of the Alliance of Hometown Associations of Moldova. 

The Alliance’s member communities have so far implemented more than 300 local projects worth nearly EUR 4 million, with investments focused on modernizing local infrastructure, developing community services, supporting education and culture, while strengthening social cohesion.

At the same time, hometown associations have organized more than 180 crowdfunding campaigns, collecting approximately EUR 445,000 from local residents and diaspora members for the development of their localities of origin.

During the event, 12 communities were awarded at the Gala of the Alliance of Hometown Associations for achievements in implementing local projects and engaging the diaspora, youth and older people, among others.

The Alliance of Hometown Associations of Moldova was officially registered in May 2023, following the decision to establish it in September 2022.

The development of the Alliance of Hometown Associations represents a natural step in strengthening the registered hometown associations and initiative groups created since 2015 with the support of the UNDP and the Government of Switzerland project. Since then, hometown associations have proven their ability to actively contribute to local development.