Daria Starikashkina
Daria Starikashkina is a program manager, fundraiser, and researcher with over six years of experience in international donor engagement, grassroots activism, and civic education. She is the co-founder and program manager of the Arterra Project, a civic education initiative for the Russian-speaking community in Israel, where she has built cross-border partnerships with organidations and experts in Europe, the US, and Israel.
Daria specialises in strategic fundraising, grant writing, and advocacy for democratic civil society. She has led over 40 international campaigns and educational programs, reaching more than 20,000 participants (online/offline). Her work includes advocacy with Israeli and German federal institutions and political leaders to elevate minority voices and support grassroots democratic efforts.
Currently based between Haifa and Giessen, Daria is a PhD candidate in East European History and continues to explore how multilingual, cross-cultural engagement can serve as a tool for democratic resilience.
Favourite Leadership Quote
“We are living through a moment in history when resolute support for the principles of freedom of belief, openness of society, and human rights is an absolute necessity. The alternative is capitulation to totalitarianism, the loss of all values of freedom, and political, economic, and moral degradation.” - Andrei Sakharov, dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from “To the Parliaments of the Countries that Signed the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference”, 1977
I applied to the Elischer Foundation because I believe this moment calls for bold leadership in advancing civic values and inclusive community-building. Since 2019, I have led initiatives promoting civic education and democratic engagement in Russian within Israel - a space that has historically been underrepresented.
Through workshops, public programs, and cross-cultural collaborations, I have worked to empower Russian-speaking Israelis with tools for active citizenship and dialogue. In recent years, this work has become more complex and more vital, deepening my commitment to expanding our reach and impact.
I hope the mentorship will support my growth as a leader capable of fostering civic values across languages and cultural contexts - because no matter the language, there are always people open to meaningful dialogue.