New Wind in European Politics: Emergence of Young Political Leaders as Engagement Specialists
The 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities, organised by the European Committee of the Regions on March 18 and 19, 2024, in Mons, Belgium, aims to open up a new perspective on issues that matter most to the people – democracy and ensuring social, economic, and territorial cohesion.
This summit, in collaboration with the Wallonia region and the Belgian presidency of the European Union, is a significant initiative that brings together regional and local politicians to discuss and find common solutions for common problems within Europe.
The European Committee of the Regions, in its mission to promote citizen involvement, has partnered with the Bertelsmann Foundation to launch an ongoing initiative. While the name of this initiative could not be identified, it is focused on promoting citizen participation with modern and innovative concepts, particularly on EU-relevant topics such as energy, climate, or health.
A key part of this initiative is the Winter School Training "Becoming a Participation Professional." This training, which is part of the democracy program "Young Elected Politicians YEP" for young politicians from Europe, focuses on learning and practising various participation methods for citizen involvement at the local and regional level.
During the training, participants tried out methods such as the Fish-Bowl format, World Café, and simulation of a participation procedure. These interactive sessions aim to foster common solutions for common problems within Europe.
After the Winter School, participants continue to act as participation professionals and multipliers for citizen-oriented politics in Europe. They also develop their own projects for their municipality, city, or region that they intend to implement with citizens.
Ideas for projects include cross-party election appeals, information campaigns, and concrete infrastructure projects. The initiative supports regional and local politicians in building competencies for the implementation of citizen participation projects.
Vasco Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions, emphasised the importance of direct exchange with citizens in times of misinformation and disinformation. He underscored the need for a more active role of citizens in shaping the future of Europe.
The initiative particularly focuses on the young generation of politicians, with the offer "Becoming a Participation Professional" being directed at them. By equipping them with the right skills and methods, the aim is to ensure that the next generation of leaders is well-prepared to foster citizen participation and create a more cohesive and democratic Europe.
At the end of the Winter School, participants were awarded a certificate as participation professionals, marking their successful completion of the training and their commitment to promoting citizen participation in Europe.
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