🌍 How do we rebuild trust between citizens & local government? Discover how communities can gain a real voice & Municipalities turn it into action at our exclusive EU-CIEMBLY virtual exhibition! 🗓️ Thu, 9 July 2026 | 17:00 CET 🎟️ Free 🔗 Register: forms.gle/B8RoNyMk1fDCQKAP8 ℹ️ Info: eu-ciembly.eu/en/news/euciem… #EUCIEMBLY #LocalGovernance #CitizensAssembly

We are excited to announce the first webinar in a series of six organised by the EU-CIEMBLY project. Taking place on 8 June at 10:00 (WEST), the first webinar will feature Lara Greaves (Victoria University of Wellington) and Rituparna Roy (University of Waikato), who will be presenting on the theoretical models for an intersectional and inclusive citizens' assembly. Join us and explore key topics around intersectionality and deliberative democracy throughout the series! Date: 8 June, 10h (WEST) Online (Microsoft Teams) Register here: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/9mSn… Join our EU-CIEMBLY community to stay tuned and take part in future activities: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/uBW5… #EUCiembly

EN: 📢 Results from the Democracy R&D 2025 workshop Following a collaborative workshop held during the 2025 Democracy R&D annual conference in Brussels, our partner Make.org, alongside other democracy innovation actor Mehr Demokratie, DEMOS, and Thinks/CitizenLab wrote a framework concept paper on “How Digital Tools Bring Mini and Maxi Publics Together”. This paper aims to map out the current state of the methodological debate and provides guidance on designing connections between mini- (such as citizen assemblies) and maxi-publics (the wider population) with 8 guiding questions and 4 illustrative examples. This document aligns with EU-CIEMBLY project’s mission to explore how intersectionality can be more effectively integrated into democratic participation and deliberation. It emphasises the importance of linking smaller, randomly selected groups of citizens with wider publics to ensure that diverse voices and experiences influence the design of participatory processes and their outcomes. By combining deliberative depth and participatory scale, this concept paper offers meaningful insights into building fairer, more responsive, and intersectional democratic systems across Europe. 👉Read more on Make.org’s blog: about.make.org/articles-be/c… FR: 📢 Résultats de l'atelier « Democracy R&D 2025 » À la suite d'un atelier collaboratif organisé lors de la conférence annuelle « Democracy R&D 2025 » à Bruxelles, notre partenaire Make.org, en collaboration avec d'autres acteurs de l'innovation démocratique tels que Mehr Demokratie, DEMOS et Thinks/CitizenLab, a rédigé un document-cadre intitulé « Comment les outils numériques rapprochent les mini-publics et les maxi-publics ». Ce document vise à dresser un état des lieux du débat méthodologique actuel et fournit des orientations pour relier les mini-publics (tels que les assemblées citoyennes) et les maxi-publics (la population au sens large) à l’aide de 8 questions directrices et de 4 exemples illustratifs. Ce document s’inscrit dans la mission du projet EU-CIEMBLY, qui consiste à explorer comment l’intersectionnalité peut être intégrée plus efficacement dans la participation et la délibération démocratiques. Il souligne l’importance de relier des groupes de citoyens plus restreints, sélectionnés au hasard, à des publics plus larges afin de garantir que des voix et des expériences diverses influencent la conception des processus participatifs et leurs résultats. En combinant la profondeur délibérative et l’échelle participative, ce document conceptuel offre des perspectives pertinentes pour la construction de systèmes démocratiques plus justes, plus réactifs et intersectionnels à travers l’Europe. 👉Pour en savoir plus, consultez le blog de Make.org: about.make.org/articles-be/c… DE: 📢 Ergebnisse des „Democracy R&D 2025“-Workshops Als Follow-up zu einen gemeinsamen Workshop, der im Rahmen der Jahreskonferenz von „Democracy R&D 2025“ in Brüssel stattfand, hat unser Partner Make.org gemeinsam mit den anderen Akteuren im Bereich der Demokratieinnovation – Mehr Demokratie, DEMOS und Thinks/CitizenLab – ein Rahmenkonzeptpapier zum Thema „Wie digitale Werkzeuge Mini- und Maxi-Öffentlichkeiten zusammenbringen“ verfasst. Dieses Papier zielt darauf ab, den aktuellen Stand der methodologischen Debatte darzustellen, und bietet mit 8 Leitfragen und 4 anschaulichen Beispielen eine Orientierungshilfe für die Gestaltung von Verbindungen zwischen “Mini-Publics” (wie Bürgerversammlungen) und “Maxi-Publics” (der breiteren Bevölkerung). Dieses Dokument unterstützt die Mission des von EU-CIEMBLY, zu untersuchen, wie Intersektionalität effektiver in demokratische Partizipation und Deliberation integriert werden kann. Es betont, wie wichtig es ist, kleinere, zufällig ausgewählte Gruppen von Bürgern mit der breiteren Öffentlichkeit zu verknüpfen, um sicherzustellen, dass vielfältige Stimmen und Erfahrungen die Gestaltung partizipativer Prozesse und deren Ergebnisse beeinflussen. Durch die Kombination von deliberativer Tiefe und partizipativem Umfang bietet dieses Konzeptpapier wertvolle Einblicke in den Aufbau fairerer, reaktionsfähigerer und intersektionaler demokratischer Systeme in ganz Europa. 👉Lesen Sie mehr im Blog von Make.org: about.make.org/articles-be/c…

EN: Inclusion requires design. Citizens’ Assemblies do not become inclusive by chance. Recruitment, facilitation, language, power dynamics and follow-up all shape who can take part and how their contributions are heard. In our latest deliverable, we share insights from an Experts’ Workshop on designing intersectional Citizens’ Assemblies, bringing together researchers and practitioners to inform the project’s local, national and transnational pilots. Read the full deliverable here: eu-ciembly.eu/storage/librar… Remember that all public outcomes from the project are available on our website: eu-ciembly.eu/en/deliverable… #CitizensAssemblies #Participation #Inclusion #Democracy #euciembly FR: La inclusión requiere diseño. Las Asambleas Ciudadanas no se vuelven inclusivas por casualidad. La selección de participantes, la facilitación, el lenguaje, las dinámicas de poder y el seguimiento influyen en quién puede participar y cómo son escuchados. En nuestro último reporte, compartimos reflexiones del Taller de Expertos sobre el diseño de Asambleas Ciudadanas interseccionales, que reunió a investigadores y profesionales para orientar los pilotos locales, nacionales y transnacionales del proyecto. Puedes leer el reporte completo aquí: eu-ciembly.eu/storage/librar… Recuerda que todos los resultados del proyecto están disponibles en nuestro sitio web: eu-ciembly.eu/en/deliverable… #AsambleasCiudadanas #Participación #Inclusión #Democracia #EUCIEMBLY

EN: Evidence matters. In a Citizens’ Assembly, decisions are built on knowledge. Experts share information, citizens ask questions, and evidence is debated, not dictated. This process helps ensure that recommendations are both informed and legitimate. EU-CIEMBLY explores how to design assemblies where evidence supports, not overwhelms, public reasoning. #EUCIEMBLY #Evidence #Participation #CitizensAssemblies #legitimacy ESP: La evidencia importa. En una Asamblea Ciudadana, las decisiones se basan en el conocimiento. Los expertos comparten información, la ciudadanía formula preguntas y las evidencias se debaten; no se imponen. Este proceso ayuda a garantizar que las recomendaciones sean informadas y legítimas. EU-CIEMBLY analiza cómo diseñar asambleas donde la evidencia apoye el razonamiento público, en vez de abrumarlo. #EUCIEMBLY #Evidencia #Participacion #AsambleasCiudadanas #Legitimidad FR: Les preuves comptent. Dans une Assemblée Citoyenne, les décisions se fondent sur la connaissance. Les experts partagent des informations, les citoyens posent des questions, et les preuves sont débattues, non dictées. Ce processus garantit que les recommandations soient à la fois éclairées et légitimes. EU-CIEMBLY explore comment concevoir des assemblées où les preuves soutiennent, sans dominer, le raisonnement public. #EUCIEMBLY #Preuves #Participation #AssembléesCitoyennes #Légitimité

Local voices, European impact. Ideas born in a town hall can inspire change across Europe. EU-CIEMBLY connects local experiences of participation with EU-level innovation, showing that democratic renewal starts from the ground up. When local and European citizens learn from each other, democracy grows stronger everywhere. FR: Des voix locales, un impact européen. Les idées nées dans une mairie peuvent inspirer le changement à travers l’Europe. EU-CIEMBLY relie les expériences locales de participation à l’innovation au niveau européen, montrant que le renouveau démocratique commence par le terrain. Lorsque citoyens locaux et européens apprennent les uns des autres, la démocratie se renforce partout. #EUCitizens #Participation #Democracy #LocalVoices #CitoyensUE #Participation #Démocratie #VoixLocales

From #equality to #equity. True participation means recognising that not everyone starts from the same place. Equity goes beyond formal equality, it ensures that all participants can take part meaningfully, regardless of barriers such as income, mobility, or language. EU-CIEMBLY promotes conditions that make this possible: accessibility support, translation, childcare, and fair compensation. SPN: De la #igualdad a la #equidad. La participación genuina exige reconocer que no todas las personas parten del mismo punto. La equidad va más allá de la igualdad formal: garantiza que todos puedan participar de forma significativa, sin importar obstáculos como los ingresos, la movilidad o el idioma. EU-CIEMBLY promueve condiciones que lo hacen posible: apoyo a la accesibilidad, traducción, cuidado infantil y remuneración justa. FR: De l’égalité à l’équité. Une véritable participation suppose de reconnaître que nous ne partons pas tous du même point. L’équité va au-delà de l’égalité formelle : elle garantit que chacun puisse participer de manière significative, quelles que soient les barrières — revenu, mobilité, langue… EU-CIEMBLY promeut des conditions qui rendent cela possible : soutien à l’accessibilité, traduction, garde d’enfants et rémunération équitable. #Équité #Inclusion #Démocratie #Accessibilité #Equity #Inclusion #Democracy #Accessibility

On 02 October, our team member Alice Leal talked about the EU-Horizon scheme with her academic peers, including colleagues and postgraduate students, at the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The programme allows ideas, institutions and academics from the Global South and from the Global North to meet and come up with innovative solutions to global challenges. Our call is all about democracy: how can we increase democratic participation and make it more intersectional at all levels - local, national and translational? This is what we aim to find out in EU-CIEMBLY. -- No dia 02 de outubro, Alice Leal, participante da nossa equipe, deu uma fala sobre o programa Horizon na Universidade do Witwatersrand, em Joanesburgo, na África do Sul. O público foram seus colegas do corpo docente e também estudantes da pós-graduação. O Horizon permite que ideias, instituições e pesquisadores e pesquisadoras do Norte e do Sul Global se encontrem para desenvolver soluções inovadoras para desafios globais. Nossa chamada é dedicada à democracia: como fazer para aumentar a participação democrática e torná-la mais interseccional em todos os níveis - local, nacional e transnacional? É justamente isso que o nosso EU-CIEMBLY quer desvendar.

📢 Insights from the Democracy R&D 2025 At Democracy R&D 2025 conference, our partner Make.org took part in a workshop alongside other democracy innovation actors DEMOS, Go Vocal, Thinks and Mehr Demokratie on connecting mini (such as citizen assemblies) and maxi-publics (the wider population). This discussion resonates strongly with the CIEMBLY project’s mission to explore how intersectionality can be better integrated into democratic participation and deliberation. Bridging the gap between smaller (randomly) selected groups of citizens and broader publics is essential to ensuring that diverse voices and experiences are reflected not only in the design of participatory processes but also in their real-world impact. By linking inclusive participation with broad societal engagement, initiatives like this workshop contribute valuable insights to how we can build more equitable, responsive, and intersectional democratic systems across Europe. 👉 Stay tuned for the upcoming results of our project! DU: 📢 Erkenntnisse aus der Democracy R&D 2025 Democracy R&D 2025 -Konferenz nahm unser Partner Make.org zusammen mit anderen Akteuren im Bereich von demokratischer Innovation – DEMOS, Go Vocal, Thinks und Mehr Demokratie – an einem Workshop zum Thema „Verbindung von Mini- (z. B. Bürgerversammlungen) und Maxi-Öffentlichkeiten (der breiten Bevölkerung)“ teil. Diese Diskussion steht in engem Zusammenhang mit der Mission des CIEMBLY-Projekts, zu untersuchen, wie Intersektionalität besser in die demokratische Teilhabe und Deliberation integriert werden kann. Die Überbrückung der Kluft zwischen kleineren (zufällig) ausgewählten Gruppen von Bürgern und der breiteren Öffentlichkeit ist unerlässlich, um sicherzustellen, dass vielfältige Stimmen und Erfahrungen nicht nur in der Gestaltung partizipativer Prozesse, sondern auch in deren realen Auswirkungen berücksichtigt werden. Durch die Verknüpfung von inklusiver Beteiligung mit breitem gesellschaftlichem Engagement liefern Initiativen wie dieser Workshop wertvolle Erkenntnisse darüber, wie wir in ganz Europa gerechtere, reaktionsfähigere und intersektionale demokratische Systeme aufbauen können. 👉 Bleiben Sie dran für die kommenden Ergebnisse des CIEMBLY-Projekts!

Fair representation starts with fair selection. How can a Citizens’ Assembly reflect society as a whole? Through sortition — the random selection of participants. This method ensures people from all walks of life are included, not just those who already have a voice. EU-CIEMBLY’s work helps make sortition more equitable by accounting for factors like gender, age, language, and disability. #Representation #Sortition #Equality #CitizensAssemblies ESP: La representación justa empieza con una selección justa. ¿Cómo puede una Asamblea Ciudadana reflejar a la sociedad en su conjunto? A través del sorteo, es decir, la selección aleatoria de los participantes. Este método garantiza la inclusión de personas de todos los ámbitos de la vida, no solo de quienes ya tienen voz. El trabajo de EU-CIEMBLY contribuye a que el sorteo sea más equitativo al considerar factores como el género, la edad, el idioma y la discapacidad. #Representacion #Igualdad #AsambleasCiudadanas

📢 Call for Papers Following the event “Intersectionality in Public Life: What’s Law Got To Do With It?” (5 December 2025, University of Coimbra & online), the EU-CIEMBLY project continues the discussion on intersectionality and law. Join us for the next conference: “Legal Approaches to Intersectionality in Political and Civic Participation” 📅 11–12 June 2026 Find more: eu-ciembly.eu/en/news/call-f… FR: 📢 Appel à contributions À la suite de l’événement « Intersectionality in Public Life: What’s Law Got To Do With It? » (5 décembre 2025, Université de Coimbra & en ligne), le projet EU-CIEMBLY poursuit la réflexion sur l’intersectionnalité et le droit. Participez à la prochaine conférence : « Legal Approaches to Intersectionality in Political and Civic Participation » 📅 11–12 juin 2026 🔗 En savoir plus : eu-ciembly.eu/en/news/call-f…

In case you missed it, the European Commission published its Communication on the European Democracy Shield last November. This strategy is a crucial step for everyone working to strengthen and protect democracy from both internal and external threats. A key pillar of the Shield is its strong commitment to citizen engagement, notably through participatory and consultative tools, with a particular focus on local communities and young people. In this context, the EU-CIEMBLY project aligns closely with the objectives of the European Democracy Shield. By addressing housing and intersectionality issues and combining online and offline citizen assemblies, the project actively contributes to inclusive, bottom-up democratic participation. Strengthening democracy starts with giving citizens a meaningful voice, and initiatives like these show how EU strategies can translate into concrete action on the ground! 🚀 ✨ Learn more about the Shield here: commission.europa.eu/documen… PT: Caso ainda não tenhas visto, a Comissão Europeia publicou a sua comunicação sobre o Escudo Europeu da Democracia no passado Novembro. Esta estratégia é um passo crucial para todos aqueles que trabalham para reforçar e proteger a democracia de ameaças internas e externas. Um ponto-chave do Escudo é o seu compromisso em envolver cidadãos, sobretudo através de ferramentas participativas e consultivas, com uma atenção especial em comunidades locais e nos mais jovens. Assim, o projeto EU-CIEMBLY alinha-se com os objetivos do Escudo Europeu da Democracia. Ao analisar problemas de habitação e interseccionalidade e ao combinar assembleias de cidadãos online e offline, este projeto contribui ativamente para a democracia participativa inclusiva. Fortalecer a democracia começa por dar voz aos cidadãos e iniciativas como estas mostram como as estratégias europeias se podem tornar em verdadeiras ações! 🚀 ✨ Podes consultar mais sobre o Escudo aqui: commission.europa.eu/documen… ES: Por si te lo perdiste, la Comisión Europea publicó el pasado mes de noviembre su Comunicación sobre el Escudo Europeo para la Democracia. Esta estrategia supone un paso crucial para todos aquellos que trabajan para fortalecer y proteger la democracia frente a amenazas tanto internas como externas. Uno de los pilares fundamentales del Escudo es su firme compromiso con la participación ciudadana, en particular a través de herramientas participativas y consultivas, con especial atención a las comunidades locales y a los jóvenes. En este contexto, el proyecto EU-CIEMBLY se ajusta estrechamente a los objetivos del Escudo Europeo para la Democracia. Al abordar cuestiones relacionadas con la vivienda y la interseccionalidad y combinar asambleas ciudadanas en línea y fuera de línea, el proyecto contribuye activamente a una participación democrática inclusiva y ascendente. El fortalecimiento de la democracia comienza por dar a los ciudadanos una voz significativa, e iniciativas como estas muestran cómo las estrategias de la UE pueden traducirse en acciones concretas sobre el terreno. 🚀 ✨ Más información sobre el Escudo aquí: commission.europa.eu/documen…

📣 Happening tomorrow in Brussels! On 10 February, the EU-CIEMBLY Policy-Makers Forum will bring together policymakers and the EU-CIEMBLY team to discuss early findings from this European research project on intersectionality, inclusion, equality and deliberative democracy. 🇪🇺🗣️ The forum creates space for meaningful dialogue on how citizens’ assemblies can become more inclusive and strengthen democratic decision-making across Europe. 📍 University Foundation, Brussels 📅 10 February 2026 🔗 Learn more & see the agenda: eu-ciembly.eu/en/news/upcomi… #EUCiembly #Democracy #Inclusion #Intersectionality #EUResearch #PolicyDialogue ----GR TEXT---- 📣 Αύριο στις Βρυξέλλες! Στις 10 Φεβρουαρίου, το EU-CIEMBLY Policy-Makers Forum φέρνει κοντά φορείς χάραξης πολιτικής και την ομάδα του EU-CIEMBLY για συζήτηση γύρω από τα πρώτα ευρήματα του ευρωπαϊκού ερευνητικού έργου σχετικά με τη διαθεματικότητα, τη συμπερίληψη, την ισότητα και τη συμμετοχική δημοκρατία. 🇪🇺🗣️ Το φόρουμ προσφέρει έναν χώρο ουσιαστικού διαλόγου για το πώς οι συνελεύσεις πολιτών μπορούν να γίνουν πιο συμπεριληπτικές και να ενισχύσουν τις δημοκρατικές διαδικασίες στην Ευρώπη. 📍 University Foundation, Βρυξέλλες 📅 10 Φεβρουαρίου 2026 🔗 Περισσότερες πληροφορίες & πρόγραμμα: eu-ciembly.eu/en/news/upcomi…

On 2–3 December, the @uniessex team held two co-design workshops to shape the local pilot citizens’ assembly on housing (coming early 2026). 👥 With Citizens Essex (Citizens UK), we heard from local residents and community members. 🎓 With the Students’ Union, we gathered insights from elected student reps. Together, participants highlighted the need for: • More community-led conversations on housing issues • Inclusion of those most directly impacted • Clear protocols for sensitive discussions and breaks • Transparency and accountability in follow-up actions This pilot will draw on the Power Sharing model, ensuring communities are at the heart of the process and challenging traditional top-down dynamics in citizens’ assemblies. 👉 Keep up to date as we continue co-designing with Citizens Essex and the Students’ Union to make housing issues central to the local pilot citizens’ assembly in 2026! ----GR TEXT---- Στις 2–3 Δεκεμβρίου, η ομάδα του Πανεπιστημίου του Essex διοργάνωσε δύο εργαστήρια συν-σχεδιασμού για τη διαμόρφωση της συνέλευσης πολιτών για τη στέγαση στο πανεπιστήμιο και στην κοινότητα του Colchester. 👥 Με τους Citizens Essex (Citizens UK), ακούσαμε από κατοίκους και μέλη της κοινότητας σχετικά με . 🎓 Με το Students’ Union, συγκεντρώσαμε απόψεις από εκλεγμένους εκπροσώπους φοιτητών σχετικά με τους προβληματισμούς των φοιτητών. Μαζί, οι συμμετέχοντες τόνισαν την ανάγκη για: • Περισσότερες συζητήσεις με πρωτοβουλία της κοινότητας σχετικά με ζητήματα στέγασης • Συμπερίληψη όσων επηρεάζονται άμεσα • Σαφή πρωτόκολλα στις συμμετοχικές διαδικασίες • Διαφάνεια και λογοδοσία στις επόμενες ενέργειες Αμφισβητώντας τις παραδοσιακές δυναμικές στις συνελεύσεις πολιτών, στην διοργάνωση της συνέλευσης πολιτών μας, πρώτο μας μέλημα είναι να διασφαλίσουμε ότι οι κοινότητες βρίσκονται στο επίκεντρο της διαδικασίας. 👉 Μείνετε ενημερωμένοι καθώς συνεχίζουμε τον συν-σχεδιασμό με τους Citizens Essex και το Students’ Union, ώστε τα ζητήματα στέγασης να βρεθούν στο επίκεντρο της συνέλευσης πολιτών του Colchester το 2026! #HorizonEurope #democracy #DeliberativeDemocracy #PublicParticipation #CitizensAssembly #Housing #Colchester #CoDesign #PowerSharing