Europe faces the challenges of rising polarisation, disinformation, and eroding trust in all democratic institutions. How citizens perceive global events is often influenced by national media and their political and cultural environment. Language barriers can lead to siloed thinking, as foreign-language media are inaccessible to large parts of the population, especially linguistic minorities. In response to these developments, a coalition of leading technology, research, and social innovation organisations has united to launch an ambitious project designed to redefine democratic engagement.
The MultiPoD project, funded by the European Union, aims to transform democratic participation by bridging cultural and linguistic divides, empowering marginalised voices, and redefining the digital landscape of participatory democracy. MultiPoD seeks to create a multilingual and multicultural European public space for political deliberation. To achieve this goal, the project will leverage advanced technologies like generative AI and work with hybrid formats that blend virtual and face-to-face engagement.
The project is being implemented by an international consortium headed by webLyzard technology (Austria), a leading Web intelligence and semantic search company specialising in AI-driven data analytics and visualisation. They are joined by other prominent organisations in technology, academia, and social innovation, including Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal), the Centre for Governance and Sustainability Studies – Ethos Lab PC (Greece), The Open University (United Kingdom), Associació de Software Lliure Decidim (Spain), Open Source Politics (France), Storypact GmbH (Austria), Kentro Merimnas Oikogeneias Kai Paidiou – KMOP (Greece) and the European think tank Re-Imagine Europa (Belgium).
The project is coordinated by Professor Arno Scharl, Managing Partner of webLyzard technology and Director of the Research Center for New Media Technology at Modul University Vienna. During the project kick-off meeting on December 9 in Vienna, he described the joint vision for MultiPoD : “Digital technologies in general and artificial intelligence in particular, are often discussed as enablers of disinformation and polarisation. In MultiPoD, we want to change the narrative and show how the same technologies can be a force for political equity and participation. Our project is designed to enhance inclusivity and dialogue, especially for the benefit of linguistic minorities and underrepresented groups.”
Unlike other European projects, MultiPoD will not build a new platform but interlink existing tools, using the open-source deliberation platform of partner Decidim as the basis. Generative AI and innovative technologies such as a Culture-Specific Language Model (CSLM) and a Culture-Specific Knowledge Graph (CSKG) will facilitate interaction across linguistic and cultural boundaries and promote more balanced, evidence-based discussions, with the aim of reducing bias and confrontation.
A cornerstone of MultiPoD will be its generative AI capabilities, incorporating real-time content analysis and visualisation to support political deliberations. A dedicated visual analytics dashboard will identify patterns such as inclusion strategies and biases, providing policymakers with actionable insights. MultiPoD’s interactive visualisations will be designed to focus on meaning rather than form, emphasising the substance of deliberations to eliminate misunderstandings rooted in stylistic differences. By embedding cultural contexts into its tools, the initiative ensures that political dialogue is both multilingual and respectful of diverse norms.
With its launch, MultiPoD embodies a hopeful vision for the future of democracy — one where every voice is heard and every perspective is valued, regardless of language or cultural background. As the project unfolds, its success could redefine the way citizens and policymakers engage in shaping a shared future.
MultiPoD has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme (HORIZON) under grant agreement No. 101178821.
