Learning Democracy Starts at Local Level

21 March 2019
Learning Democracy Starts at Local Level

Democracy starts where we live - in our town, city or region – and young Europeans are the key to keeping it alive. This is the main message from a workshop organised by the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions in the framework of the School of Democracy initiative of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, and attended by some 40 young people from all over Europe.

The meeting was opened by PES Group member Kata Tűttö, local Councillor in Budapest (Hungary), who stressed that:

Emanuele Feduzi, mayor of Fermignano (Italy), reported on the initiative "Mayor for one day", which gives citizens the possibility to better understand the "life" of a Mayor and the nature of a Mayor's duties:

 

 

 

Amy Longland, chief operating officer for "My Life My Say", an international, youth-led, non-partisan charity with the mission to empower young people to participate in democracy and to ensure that the voice of youth is heard in the Brexit negotiations, stressed:

Arnold de Boer, reported about his work in the "I Vote Where I Live" campaign, which aimed at raising the awareness of European residents toabout the political and institutional life of the territory where they live and facilitating their integration and active participation in the Brussels communes, in line with the rights provided by European citizenship.

Participants had a lively debate with speakers, agreeing that empowering young people, inspiring them and informing them are the main ingredients of keeping democracy alive:

 

 

 

 

Kata Tűttö concluded the meeting, underlining:

 

 

 

Learning Democracy Locally

 

 

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