Nets4Dem

?? Deadline Extended to 1 December! Our #Nets4Dem Democratic Innovations Accelerator (DIA) is your chance to bring bold ideas to life and transform public participation in policymaking. This 6-month program offers: ? Expert mentorship to guide you every step of the way ? Practical resources and interactive tools to design your project ? Peer-learning opportunities with changemakers across Europe ? ?International peer-learning opportunities to share insight This is your best chance to emerge with a tailor-made action plan to implement participatory democracy initiatives in your unique context ?? Government official? Civil society leader? Educator? You are all welcome to accelerate democracy with us! ?? Apply: https://lnkd.in/dcEWmHaf This initiative is led by People Powered and Coglobal, with support from Eurocities, European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), Democracy Reporting International, and Demos Helsinki.

Welcome Arantzazulab! ?? ? It's a pleasure to welcome new members who are so committed to our mission of strengthening democratic innovation and participation. We look forward to the meaningful exchanges of ideas and exciting activities ahead!

Last week, I was thrilled to take part, for Grenoble-Alpes Métropole and along with Céline Bernigaud, in Nets4dem's first Democracy Lab in Barcelona. Some take-aways from this highly inspirational experience: - The incredible power of working alongside other cities and experts in the field of digital democracy to inspire each other and resolve together, through collective intelligence, our democratic challenges; - The facilitation methods used (developped by Platoniq Foundation) that enabled us to question and further our understanding of the various contexts and issues at hand, bringing us closer to the most suitable, hands-on solution for all the cities involved (in 2 and a half days, they all walked away with ready-made action plans to implement!); - The expertise and innovative practices of the City of Barcelona's participation and innovation departement, with a great team, an inspiring opening speech by Arnau Monterde, the presentation of the Decidim platform, the on-site visits, that really gave us food for thought! Thanks to all the participants and the amazing organizing team of the Nets4Dem project and the city of Barcelona for such a beautiful and inspiring event- we brought home with us so much more than our luggage... ..and we can not wait to host the second Nets4dem Democracy Lab in Grenoble Alpes Métropole between March 25th and 27th, on the theme of Climate Democracy! So if your city has a challenge they face when it comes to Climate Democracy, do apply to join us, the call will be out in November! More on that soon :) Until then, you can follow the Nets4Dem project here: https://lnkd.in/d_D2hSkG Nets4Dem European Capital Of Democracy #ECoD#ECoD Eurocities Petra Dzurovcinova Elizabeth Calderón Lüning Aleksandra Zi?tek

Are democracy artists always that cheerful? Yes, when it comes to network meetings with inspiring souls and sweet goodies during coffee breaks. After all, there needs to be a balance between the good and the bad. Our consultant Teele Pehk (in the middle) attending the Nets4Dem (network of democracy development networks and organisations) annual meeting in Brussels, together with Sahib Singh and Meri Külm from Demos Helsinki. The Nets4Dem strives to bridge science-based democracy innovation with policymaking, and vice versa. During two days we discussed about the European Democracy Shield - which was renamed to European Democracy Spirit -, embedding innovations systematically and about the right words to use in our advocacy work with policymakers (all the above ones are not the right ones, for sure!). A working group of systemic democracy innovation, including the fundamental institutions for an open society, was established, among other 3 working groups. DD will cheerfully contribute to that work! #democracyinnovation #nets4dem #europeandemocracy

? Learning and funding opportunity! This is your chance to make a difference by strengthening democracy and fostering meaningful public engagement. ?? Apply for accelerator programs by November 24 and: ? Gain access to resources and expert guidance ? Collaborate with civil society and government leaders ? Shape a customized action plan to maximize impact ? Receive up to $30,000 in funding and travel support to a workshop in Kenya, international recognition, and more! Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gWq9bw9y Coglobal Democracy Reporting International Demos Helsinki Eurocities European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) FNF Global Innovation Hub Pathways Policy Institute (PPI) National Endowment for Democracy Nets4Dem Open Government Partnership Waverley Street Foundation #ParticipatoryDemocracy #Accelerators #CivicEngagement #SocialImpact #SustainableDevelopment #MainstreamingParticipation #DemocraticInnovations #FundingOpportunity

?"Can democratic innovation transcend political and cultural divides?" It seems to be the question on everyone's mind, and that's exactly what we're looking to answer today as Nets4Dem and Democratic Society host a panel at the World Forum for Democracy today. ?? Salle 6, Palais de l'Europe ?? 17.15-19.00 CET ??? Come join us in as I speak to: - Danela Arsovska, the Mayor of the City of Skopje - Azucena Moran, Research Associate at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) - Matt Leighninger, the Director of the Center for Democracy Innovation at the National Civic League, and - Anthony Zacharzewski, President of Democratic Society And don't hesitate to say hi - I'm here all of today and tomorrow!

A day of two very different conversations on democracy. One in the confirmation hearings of the European Parliament, the second in the Real Deal session on citizen engagement in European policy making, where European Environmental Bureau and alda* - European Association for Local Democracy were kind enough to invite me to give the impulse statement. In the first, citizens and democracy came up a lot less than I would have liked, making me worry that the competitiveness agenda and democratic security will swamp the economic, social and democratic innovation we need for the future. In the second, twenty-plus civil society networks and organisations spent ninety minutes discussing and planning how to bring citizen voices into EU policy, and I presented Nets4Dem and our forthcoming Democracy for Transition Coalition (with EEB). So even if I worry about the focus of the Parliament, I know that passionate colleagues and partners are out there every day moving the conversation forward. Thanks to everyone who took part!

Mentorship with impact ?? We're fostering a network of emerging participatory democracy practitioners, connecting them directly with expert mentors through the Rising Stars mentorship programme. This initiative helps participants as they bring democratic tools to life in their communities ?? From legislative theatre to citizens’ assemblies and participatory budgeting, the programme offers hands-on guidance on the tools and methods that strengthen democratic processes. Mentors like Katy Rubin share their expertise to help participants activate impactful projects, address specific challenges, and navigate the steps needed to realise democratic change in their own contexts. You can learn more here: https://bit.ly/4ePyPTm The program, in the Horizon Europe area, is implemented by the Nets4Dem network, managed by Coglobal in association with People Powered, and with support from Eurocities, Demos Helsinki, Democracy Reporting International, and European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).

Digital divide? Inclusive budgets? Democracy Lab tackled it all! ?? Five forward-thinking cities - Cascais, Istanbul, Rotterdam, Sofia, and Vilnius - joined forces at the inaugural Nets4Dem Democracy Lab, hosted by Eurocities and Barcelona City Council. From 17-19 September, city representatives and experts collaborated to design actionable strategies to strengthen citizen trust and participation in democratic processes. These tackled challenges in areas like participatory budgeting, digital inclusion, and electoral engagement. The challenges included: ???? Sofia: Engaging citizens in green urban projects through tech ?????Rotterdam: Encouraging more diverse participation in local elections ?????Vilnius: Bridging the digital divide by empowering older generations ?????Cascais: Exploring how AI can enhance community involvement in budgeting ?????Istanbul: Creating an inclusive online space for citizens’ voices to be heard As these cities take their learnings back home, we are laying the groundwork for more inclusive, resilient, and digitally sound democracies across Europe - so the Democracy Lab is just the beginning! Watch the video for a glimpse of the magic??

Lets unlock your potential - together ???? Our Nets4Dem Democratic Innovations Accelerator (DIA) provides expert mentorship and training to governments and organisations. We will help you lead innovative participatory democracy programs across Europe ?????? The 6-month, action-focused support program is specifically designed to guide you through the creation of a participatory democracy project tailored to your unique context. By the end, you'll have a detailed step-by-step action plan to implement your project - and create meaningful change in your community ?? The accelerator is brought to you by People Powered and Coglobal, with support from Eurocities, European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), Democracy Reporting International, and Demos Helsinki. Ready to take the leap? Apply now: https://bit.ly/3XHBSXi