From June until October 30th, 2023, in Brussels, four connected events were organized within the framework of the project “Note” to bring young people closer to European Parliamentarians and EU institutions in view of the next European Elections in 2024. The purpose was to discuss participatory democracy and the European elections at the local level. The hybrid and online event, titled “Tools for Boosting Citizens’ Engagement,” targeted policy makers, civil society organizations, activists, youth, and local actors, including high-level policymakers. It comprised online seminars, workshops, and expert tables held in hybrid and online formats on June 14, July 19, October 11, and 31.
June: 14.06, 14.00-15.30
Tools for Boosting Citizen Engagement – Impressions and Outcomes from Street Debates from Partner Countries
Moderator: Bastien Fillon, Officine Cittadine (via zoom)
EU Grants: Event description sheet (CERV): V1.0 – 01.04.2022
This was an interactive session. Participants: FACEES (FACilitators for the European Election), young people, students, representatives of the partners; target groups: policy makers. FACEES shared their impressions and the outcomes from Street Debates and debates they organised together with the project partners in April, May and June 2023.
Presented examples and good practices:
- Lithuania – VsI Kauno regiono pletros agentura
- Poland – LGD “Dolina rzeki Grabi”
- Italy – Fattoria Pugliese Diffusa
Presentations:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rjUSdViKm66dXD1r-HXg1xRQZ56UC-Ji
July: 19.07, 14.00-16.45
Tools for Boosting Citizen Engagement: Participatory Democracy & European Elections on the Local Level
The July session consisted of modules specifically dedicated to the European elections, youth participation in the European and local campaign, knowledge of the together.eu platform, the opportunities that the European Union offers at local level through it, and to the Parliament Europe communication campaign. In this session the participants were allowed to learn about what the EU does in their area, which projects are financed with European funds and how the EU impacts their daily lives. This event consisted of two panel presentations/seminars focused on increasing citizen’s engagement, mapping the context of the next European Union elections and youth participation at the local and European level.
Agenda:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HGKM_xtlgS7Kq-onSblCoCrxrycWuwc1/view?usp=drive_link
October: 11.10, 14.30-16.00
EU Grants: Event description sheet (CERV): V1.0 – 01.04.2022
GETTING LOCALS INVOLVED IN THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: Is Citizen Participation the Answer? The October event focused mainly on the local action of the European Union, to tie in with the theme of regions and cities of the EWRC: it talked about the involvement of young people and civil society as local actors and how they can be involved in the decision-making process. The first explored the topic of town assemblies, taking the example of the Conference on the Future of Europe and transposing the idea to the local level.
EURegionsWeek 2023: ECIT Foundation & European Capital of Democracy
AGENDA OF THE EVENT – 90 mins
https://regions-and-cities.europa.eu/programme/2023/programme/5440
October: 31.10, 14.30-16.00
How did Union Citizenship come about? What has been the track record? A public relations exercise or the first post-national citizenship of the modern era? Such contrasting views expressed at the time of the Maastricht Treaty have tended to converge. There has been extensive case law in the European Court and updated legislation to strengthen European rights to freedom of movement in the areas of residence rights, access to social security and recognition of qualifications. Yet many barriers still remain especially for job seekers, minorities, and low-income groups.
The 30th anniversary should be about taking the plunge and imagining how this unique transnational citizenship could become more relevant to all Europeans and strike the popular imagination.
The first session in the afternoon was part of the Work Package 3 “Tools for boosting citizens’ engagement. Participatory democracy of the NOTE (Network of Organisations and Towns for the European elections) project, funded by the CERV programme of the EU. The partners in the project joined on-line to explain the focus of the project on street debates to involve voters in the 2024 European elections.
Event description noteThe event was financed by Europe Union. “NOTE” stands for the “Network of Organizations and Towns for the European Elections”. It is an initiative from 11 EU Member States in the framework of the programme CERV. We represent citizens, local governments and civil society organisations from: Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Latvia, Spain, Lithuania, Belgium and Germany.
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Views and opinions expressed however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Uion or EACEA can be held responsible for them.
