Participedia

#ScaleDem invites practitioners, researchers, and public actors from around the world to take part in "Reversing the Gaze", a new international workshop series exploring how democratic innovations can be scaled across different contexts. As a project dedicated to bringing democratic innovation beyond the research sphere and into real-world policy, ScaleDem recognises that knowledge in this field remains fragmented, not only across disciplines, but also across regions. Too often, dominant frameworks are shaped by Eurocentric perspectives, despite many democratic practices having originated and evolved in other parts of the world. Each online session will focus on a specific region and explore a shared question: What does scaling democratic innovation look like in different contexts? When? Online sessions (3–4 hours) will be held between May and June 2026: 7 May – Latin & South America 12 May – Africa 26 May – Eastern Europe & Balkans 4 June – Asia Workshops will be held in English, except for the Latin America session (Spanish, with English subtitles). Register your interest here https://lnkd.in/dqN5xs_h and learn more here https://lnkd.in/diPTHq2s

📢 Will you answer the Call? The #Youth4Climate Call for Solutions 2026 is OPEN! If you’re a young climate innovator, this is your chance to secure up to $30,000 in funding, mentorship and global exposure to grow your impact. We are looking for youth-led projects in: ➡️ Sustainable Energy: advancing a sustainable and just energy transition ➡️ Food and Agriculture: building resilient, equitable and sustainable food systems ➡️ Climate, Peace and Security: solutions for peace-positive climate adaptation and mitigation ➡️ Oceans and Blue Economy: Protecting marine ecosystems, reducing pollution, and advancing inclusive, low-emission, and climate-resilient blue economy ➡️ Architecture for Adaptation: Innovations in design, construction, materials, and spatial planning that integrate nature-based solutions and circular economy principles ➡️ Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Alternative consumption and production pathways that reduce emissions, waste, and pollution, while promoting fair and safe labour, transparency, and cultural expression 📆 Applications close on 30 April 2026. Learn more via the UNDP Rome Centre and apply now: https://go.undp.org/57f  

Tomorrow, the Americas take on a question that can’t wait any longer: who is shaping our democratic narratives, and how far do those narratives travel before they reshape us in return. If you’ve been planning to join this conversation, this is your last chance to register. The webinar “From Polarization to Participation: Democratic Narratives in the Americas in a Changing U.S. Context” brings together leading voices from across the region to examine how democratic stories move, mutate, and influence participation. Polarization, disinformation, and declining trust are no longer isolated national issues, they are regional forces reshaping how legitimacy is understood and how people engage with democracy. Our speakers represent organizations at the forefront of this work: Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Creative Director, Founder and CEO, Metropolitan Group   Noam Lupu, Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for Global Democracy, Vanderbilt University   Clara Bois, Partnerships Director, People Powered   Inés Reineke, Global Director of Innovation, Red Innovación Local   Moderated by Phillip Lurie, Ed.D, Program Officer for Democracy around the Globe, Kettering Foundation Their insights will directly inform the 2026 GDC Americas Regional Forum and help shape the broader regional narrative emerging this year. If you are working to strengthen trust, expand participation, or understand the forces reshaping democratic life across the hemisphere, tomorrow’s session is essential. Registration closes soon, and this is the final opportunity to secure your spot. Details in the comments. #GDCAmericasForum #GDCForum2026 #KeepDemocracyAlive Alma Cívica

🎥 Recording now available: Reimagining representation through the more-than-human Co-hosted with the Centre for Deliberative Democracy. The event asked whether democracy can go beyond expanding participation and be reimagined through our relationships with ecosystems, species, and future generations. A big thank you to all the partners in this larger project including KNOCA - Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies, the CENTRE FOR ANIMALS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, Participedia, the University of Westminster, Sydney Environment Institute. And to the speakers Dr Erin O'Donnell, Danielle Celermajer, Andraya Stapp, Fern Hames, and particularly Hans Asenbaum for hosting us and making this possible 💛. 👉 Watch the recording here:

Democracy is facing mounting pressure worldwide. At the same time, traditional models of democracy support are under strain, making more inclusive and cross-sector forms of collaboration increasingly essential. On 17 April, colleagues from the Global Democracy Coalition, together with partners including International IDEA, Club de Madrid, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Political Watch, will contribute to a panel discussion taking place in the context of the Global Progressive Mobilization in Barcelona: Beyond Government-Led Democracy Initiatives: Building Cross-Sector Multistakeholder Alliances This conversation will bring together perspectives from civil society, local and regional governments, philanthropy, and political leadership to explore how more effective and durable forms of collaboration can be built across sectors and regions. As geopolitical dynamics shift and resources for democracy support evolve, the discussion will focus on practical ways to strengthen coordination, bridge divides, and move from dialogue to more meaningful joint action. Speakers include Fernando Sampedro, Spain’s State Secretary for the European Union, Thai Jungpanich of Political Watch, Kevin Casas-Zamora of International IDEA, Emilia Saiz of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Daniel Sachs of the Daniel Sachs Foundation, and Stefan Löfven, former Prime Minister of Sweden. (TBC)   Barcelona 17 April 2026 Fira Barcelona Gran Via Hall 8 17:00–18:00 If you are in Barcelona, we warmly invite you to join the conversation.

𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗔𝗟𝗗𝗔 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴! 🗓 2–4 September 2026 📍 Villa Fabris, Thiene Three days of high-level training designed for everyone who works with and for local democracy: changemakers, researchers, policymakers, practitioners from the field, and anyone who believes in playing an active part in the common good. This year's theme is 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. Because the inclusion, exclusion, or disengagement of young people is one of the defining factors that will determine how resilient, legitimate, and genuinely representative our democratic institutions prove to be, across Europe and beyond. In the coming weeks, we'll be unveiling the full agenda and our speaker lineup. Stay tuned: registrations will open soon. #ALDAInternationalSchool #YouthDemocracy #LocalDemocracy #Europe

#𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨! 👉 It’s a way of understanding how inequalities intersect and how this shapes society and social injustice! At THE SINCRONY PROJECT, we developed this study of an intersectional evaluation framework for analysing EU-level deliberative and participatory practices (DPPs) for youth engagement and applies it to 20 DPPs at the EU level 📚 Read: Assessment of EU-level deliberative and participatory practices through an intersectional lens 👤 Authors: Janette Huttunen | Miikka Korventausta | Mikko Leino | Maija Setälä 🔗 Link: https://shorturl.at/ioaOR

Across the Americas, democratic narratives are being stretched, reshaped, and contested in ways that cut across borders. Polarization, disinformation, and declining trust are not isolated national challenges, they are regional forces redefining how people understand democracy, legitimacy, and participation. And in this moment, the political and media dynamics unfolding in the United States are reverberating throughout the hemisphere, influencing discourse, shaping perceptions, and altering how democratic engagement is experienced across Latin America and the Caribbean. Next week, on Thursday, April 16, 2026, we continue the Americas Regional Month with the webinar “From Polarization to Participation: Democratic Narratives in the Americas in a Changing U.S. Context.” This conversation steps beyond a U.S.-centric lens to examine how narratives circulate across borders, how digital ecosystems amplify or distort them, and how they ultimately shape citizens’ willingness to participate in democratic life. The session brings together a powerful group of thinkers and practitioners: Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Creative Director, Founder and CEO, Metropolitan Group; Noam Lupu, Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for Global Democracy, Vanderbilt University; Clara Bois, Partnerships Director, People Powered; and Inés Reineke, Global Director of Innovation, Red Innovación Local. The discussion will be moderated by Phillip Lurie, Ed.D, Program Officer for Democracy around the Globe, Kettering Foundation. Together, they will explore how narratives of distrust and polarization take shape, how U.S.-driven media ecosystems influence regional discourse, and what new stories of democratic renewal are emerging from across the Americas. For those committed to strengthening legitimacy, rebuilding trust, and expanding participation, this is a conversation that matters. The insights generated will directly inform the 2026 GDC Americas Regional Forum, particularly its focus on democratic renewal and inclusive narratives. More information and registration details are available in the comments. #GDCAmericasForum #GDCForum2026 #KeepDemocracyAlive Alma Cívica

📣 Call for participants! Are you representing an international youth organisation or network? This call is for you. The Council of Europe, together with the European Youth Forum, is bringing 120 young people together in Strasbourg this June to innovate democracy and shape the New Democratic Pact for Europe. The Pact aims to strengthen the foundations of democracy, amplify its benefits, and innovate its forms to make it tangible and meaningful for all. And young people are not just part of this conversation — they are the ones driving it. This call is also open to: ▪️a youth activist or member of a youth movement ▪️a journalist or content creator ▪️an artist whose work addresses democracy and human rights ▪️a national or local youth council representative ▪️aged between 18 and 35 Apply by 19 April 2026 — all information available via the link below: https://go.coe.int/Pi8Qm