To read the annual report,  click here http://www.civicus.org/civicus-booksandpublications/annual-report

Was 2008 a year of transformation at CIVICUS? It was certainly the start of a transformation. After a decade at its helm, Kumi Naidoo moved on (he'll join Greenpeace in a few months). But it wasn't just the person in the Secretary General's office that changed at CIVICUS.

2008 marked a year of reflection with a view to moving ahead with even more clarity and energy. At the 2008 World Assembly in Glasgow, Scotland, CIVICUS adopted its new Strategic Directions to guide its operations over the next five years. This provided the framework for a more detailed Operational Plan(2008-2012) with an Impact Planning and Learning Framework to follow.

The financial and economic meltdown posed new and greater challenges. CIVICUS and civil society had to dig deep in 2008 to meet growing demands despite constrained resources. Yet at the heart of the crisis was the unprecedented opportunity to achieve greater coherence and progress in re-imagining the world based on principles of equity, justice and democratic governance.

Our annual report attempts to capture the highlights of 2008. Translations into languages other than English are underway and will be posted on the website soon.

We look forward to your feedback. Please tell us about what you think about how we fared in 2008, your views on how we could improve our annual report and what you expect from us in the years to come. (Email editor@civicus.org.)

Ingrid Srinath