Join the Final Conference of the Democracy is Europe project (2-3 December)!

One year ago we embarked on our “Democracy is Europe: Remember to Revive” journey across the Baltics and Central and Eastern Europe. Two main ideas were behind this: on one hand, to raise awareness about the central role of European values in the revolutions of 1989-1991; on the other hand, to encourage a reflection on the future of Europe, European democracy and the Rule of Law.

After our online stops in Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Estonia, and our physical ones in Gdańsk (PL) and Prague (CZ), UEF’s #DemocracyIsEurope project is coming to an end with our final conference in Brussels on 2-3 December 2021.

Brussels is the chosen scenario in which the project “democracy activators”, participants, stakeholders and researchers will present and discuss the outcomes of the project, commemorate membership in the EU of the aforementioned Member states, and advocate for further European integration based on the strengthening and protection of democracy and the Rule of Law.

The entire event will be held at Atelier29 – Rue Jacques de Lalaing 29, 1000 Brussels, or online – you can still REGISTER HERE. In the same framework, we remind you the ESSAY CONTEST, we will award the best students’ essay during the last day of the Conference with a 250 euro prize.

AGENDA

Thursday, 2 December, 2021

14.00 – 15.30 CET The central role of European values in the revolutions of 1989-1991 and their state of play today in Eastern and Central Europe: Presentation of the project outcomes

Sandro GOZI, MEP & President, UEF
Stefano BRAGHIROLI, University of Tartu, Estonia
Eszter NAGY, Secretary-General, UEF Hungary
Laura TATARELYTE, European Movement Lithuania
Christian MOOS, Secretary-General, Europa Union Deutschland e.V.
Jacek KOLTAN, Director’s representative, European Solidarity Centre, Poland

Moderates: Giulia STEFANO, Project Officer, UEF

16:00 – 17:30 Defending and strengthening democracy in the EU: Article 7 of TFEU and Conditionality

Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR, Chair of the LIBE Committee in the European Parliament
Ania SKRZYPEK, Director for Research and Training, Foundations for European Progressive Studies (FEPS)
Nicolaas BEL, Deputy Head of Unit, Justice policy and rule of law Unit, Directorate General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Edouard GAUDOT, External Relations Director, Europanova

Moderates: Alejandra ALMARCHA, Director of the Secretariat, UEF

17.30 CET – 19:00 CET Competition: #DemocracyIsEurope ideas for the future of Europe

Friday, 3 December, 2021

9:30 – 11.00 CET European democracy in the Conference on the Future of Europe

Francisco ALDECOA, Professor of International Relations at the Complutense University of Madrid, President of the European Movement in Spain and Director of the Civil Society Representation of the Conference on the Future of Europe
Leonie MARTIN, JEF President 2019-2021
Jorge PAZOS – Lawyer & citizen representative of the Democracy Working Group of the Conference on the Future of Europe
Ingrid GODKIN, Policy & Administrative Coordination, Cabinet of Vice President Šuica for Democracy and Demography, European Commission

Moderates: Alejandra ALMARCHA, Director of the Secretariat, UEF

11.30 – 13:00 CET How to combat disinformation & fake news: media freedom in Central Europe

Paul BUTCHER, Policy analyst on citizen participation, disinformation, democracy, EU reform, Western Balkans, EU enlargement, European Policy Centre (EPC)
Žiga FAKTOR, Head of Brussels Office, EUROPEUM
Natasza STYCZYŃSKA, Assistant professor, Institute of European Studies, Jagiellonian University Kraków
Wojciech PRZYBYLSKI, Editor-in-Chief, Visegrad Insight (tbc)

Moderates: Federico TERRENI, Policy & Advocacy Manager, European Movement International

14.00 – 15.30 CET Training “Talking about the EU at the local level – How to organise events in the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe”

Alejandra ALMARCHA, Director of the Secretariat, UEF
Mariona ESPÍN, Communications Officer, UEF
Michal RYBACKI, Policy Officer, JEF Europe
Ilaria CARIA, Communication Team, Movimento Federalista Europeo (MFE)