| Start date: | 04/03/2024 |
|---|---|
| End date: | 07/03/2024 |
| Where: | European Economic and Social Committee |
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is launching the first edition of its Civil Society Week, in light of the European Elections happening in June 2024. The event will gather people of all ages and backgrounds, including civil society organisations, NGOs, trade unions, media and EU institutions, for vibrant debates on topics that matter to our everyday life and Europe’s future. Participants will address the threats to democracy and the challenges in safeguarding democratic values, and explore how best to mobilise the networks for citizens to vote and unleash the potential of Europe’s young generation.
The opening session will count with a keynote speech by Erika Staël von Holstein, CEO of Re-Imagine Europa, presenting the Cycle of Distrust that is undermining our democratic institutions, and the first Narratives Observatory combatting Disinformation in Europe Systemically (NODES), launched by a consortium led by RIE, in a project co-funded by the European Commission.
Working with leading scientists on an ambitious multidisciplinary and multiyear research, Re-Imagine Europa has developed the innovative REFRAME Methodology to depolarise public debates about the main challenges of our time. This methodology has been successfully applied to address topics like climate change, the Covid-19 crisis, food systems and migration.
In collaboration with The Evens Foundation, the Philea – Philanthropy Europe Association, the Learning for Well-being Foundation, The Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), and the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Re-Imagine Europa will organise the workshop on “Education to Tackle Polarisation and Enhance Democracy”, on March 7th, at 10am (CET). As an introduction to the workshop and delving into the state-of-the-art of polarisation in Europe, the drivers of the process and potential educational replies for social change, Erika Staël von Holstein will also participate on a panel discussion, together with Tatjana Babrauskiene, EESC member (NAT Section), Maarten Van Alstein, Researcher at Flemish Peace Institute, and Dominic Richardson, Director of Learning for Well-being Institute. It will be followed by an interactive debate with the attendees.
Re-Imagine Europa will also showcase its work on narratives and depolarisation in one of the stands of the Civil Society Week, during the entire event.
