Democracies in the Making! Online Learning Exchange with activists and changemakers from across Europe

Online Learning Exchange with activists and changemakers from across Europe working towards more democratic, participatory and inclusive societies. Organised within the European Democracy Network.

REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/2UcdP0V

We will share with you the link how to join the event.

How can civil society and activist movements resist and handle attacks by authoritarian governments on democratic values and basic rights, also in times of the COVID-19 pandemic? And how can new forms of interventions inspire these movements and revive democracy?

Our practice-oriented Online Learning Exchangewill connect activists defending democratic values and changemakers designing and implementing new models of participation and deliberation, beyond periodic elections.

Get involved in the dialogue, share your ideas and explore concrete examples and best-practices of citizen-centered and future-oriented democratic innovations!

PART I: Activism & Democracy (11:00-13:00)

10:45 Technical rehearsal, check with us your settings

11:00 Welcoming and Introduction: European Democracy Network - Challenges and Responses in the times of shrinking civic spaces, Covid-19 and struggles for democracy across Europe.

11:15 What’s up in Europe? Short presentations: • Belarus uprising Nikita Grekowicz, The Free Belarus Initiative (BY/PL) • Stop “LGBT-free zones” in Poland now! Jakub Urbanik, Love Does Not Exclude Association (PL) • Civil society response to the authoritarian takeover in Hungary Veronika Mora, The Civilisation Coalition / Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation (HU) • Massive protests and Women Revolution in Poland Klementyna Suchanow, All-Poland Women Strike (PL) • Inclusion and Diversity in Extinction Rebellion movement Diego Alvarez, Extinction Rebellion - Inclusion and Diversity Group (DE)

11:50 Breakout sessions and interactive discussions with experts on challenges, strategies and best-practices of struggles for democracy. Two rounds à 25 min.

12:50 Short film screening presenting the European Democracy Network.

13:00-15:00 LUNCH BREAK

PART II: Future of Democracy and Democratic Innovations in Europe (15:00-17:00)

15:00 Introduction: Europe for Citizens or Citizens for Europe?

15:05 Lecture Performance by Lucas De Man and Jasper van den Berg (Company New Heroes, In Search of Democracy 3.0 project, Amsterdam, NL)

15:25 Interviews with Democratic Innovators and Changemakers: • Dilara Bilgic (NL) - The Black Box Democracy / The European Gen Z Manifesto • Catherine Dupré (IS) - Icelandic Constitutional Reform • Marcin Gerwin (PL) - Author of “Citizens Assemblies - Democracy that works” • Moritz Ritter (DE) - Liquid Democracy / Adhocracy • Eva Rovers (NL) - Extinction Rebellion, Citizens Assemblies Group • And more to be confirmed!

15:50 Inspiring Breakout Sessions and interactive discussions with experts on new forms of participation and deliberation and how they can revive democracy. Two rounds à 25 min.

16:50 Closing

This event is organised by the European Democracy Network and Company New Heroes.

Partner organizations of the European Democracy Network: Citizens For Europe gUG (Berlin, DE) Fundacja Wolni Obywatele RP (Warsaw, PL) Hungarian Civil Liberties Union / TASZ (Budapest, HU) MitOst (Berlin, DE) Nesehnuti (Brno, CZ) Nyt Europa (Copenhagen, DK) VoxPublic (Paris, FR)

Co-funded by the Europe for Citizens Programme of the European Union and Citizens For Europe (Brussels/Paris, BE/FR)