Open Call for Members of Civil Society Organizations to Participate in the Democratic Odyssey Transnational Assembly in Florence

WHEN: 21st to 23rd of February 2025

The Democratic Odyssey is a crowdsourced campaign advocating for a permanent people’s assembly for Europe as a means to renew Europe’s political system. Coordinated by European Alternatives, the project seeks to empower citizens and ensure more democratic engagement in the EU’s decision-making process.

The recent EU elections highlighted a critical dichotomy: declining voter turnout and rising far-right populism in some countries, contrasted with strong pro-European movements in others. With pressing global challenges such as wars, climate change, and democratic backsliding, it is essential to involve citizens more closely in shaping Europe’s future. Our goal is to empower citizens to actively engage and influence EU policies.

What’s Our Plan?

We are organizing a transnational travelling assembly to showcase the potential of a permanent “people’s assembly” at EU level. This assembly features both in-person and online meetings, bringing together groups from across Europe, selected via random lottery. Participants engage in multilingual, transnational deliberations to determine the future agenda for Europe.

The next stop of the assembly is Florence taking place from 21 to 23 February 2025, with around 120 participants. 

Call for Participation

We are looking for individuals working in civil society organizations (CSOs) to participate in this groundbreaking experiment in deliberation. CSOs have often been overlooked in past citizen assemblies, and at the Democratic Odyssey, we aim to reclaim their rightful space at the table.

REGISTER HERE

From the registrations received, we will select 5 participants to join the assembly. These individuals will act as spokespersons for the Democratic Odyssey, helping us engage new networks and broaden the initiative’s reach.

CSO Participants Will:

• Become members of an assembly involved in a groundbreaking experiment in deliberation.
• Contribute to setting the agenda for how the EU can address future crises.
• Engage in both in-person and online deliberations with diverse participants from across Europe.

For more information about the Democratic Odyssey, please visit our website and follow us on social media (LinkedIn, X, Instagram). If you have any questions, feel free to contact democraticodyssey@gmail.com 

Join us on this exciting journey to strengthen democracy in Europe!

The selected 5 actors from Civil Society Organisations will receive per diems for their time (100€ for 2 days of participation). The transport or accommodation costs will not be covered.