26/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – EU High Representative Federica Mogherini took the opportunity of the World NGO Day on Tuesday 26 February to announce that "The European Union will continue to foster safe and open environments for civil society participation in Europe and around the world, notably through a financial contribution of €2 billion per year". She also recalled that the EU organises forums such as the annual EU-NGO Forum on Human Rights where European leaders and members of civil society exchange views. In addition, according to Ms Mogherini, since 2014, nearly 1,000 human rights defenders and their families have benefited from more than 400 emergency grants provided by the Emergency Fund of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) for defenders at risk. (CG)