Project description
Strengthening European democracy through networking and collaboration
In the ever-changing landscape of European democracy, the lack of effective collaboration and networking among stakeholders remains a significant hurdle. Fragmented knowledge on democratic innovation and governance further exacerbates the challenge, hindering policymakers and practitioners from addressing complex societal issues. In this context, the EU-funded Nets4Dem project introduces a pioneering network of networks approach, aiming to establish a connected European community of democracy practitioners and researchers. By interweaving existing actors and networks in the democracy sector, Nets4Dem aims to capitalise on their strengths while reducing duplication. Overall, the project seeks to overcome challenges by facilitating collaboration, knowledge sharing and policymaking advancements to build inclusive societies and resilient democracies.
Objective
Nets4Dem puts forward a Network of Networks approach to establish and develop a European network of practitioners and researchers in the field of democracy, civic deliberation, participation and citizenship education.
The Consortium, brings together widely networked organisations with long-term expertise in democratic innovation across a broad range of areas (including digital democracy, rule of law, climate change, also through cultural and creative approach). It is composed of umbrella organisations, that will draw on their already existing networks to contribute to the call outcomes.
The unique approach that Nets4Dem puts forward is to ‘weave’ more and better connections between existing actors and networks already active in the wider democracy field, taking advantage of each other’s strengths and reducing duplication.
Nets4Dem will focus its efforts on four main objectives: (1) creating, fostering and sustaining stronger Network of policy makers, practitioners and researchers; (2) systematizing and connecting the fragmented knowledge on democratic innovation and governance research; (3) establishing a coordinated European approach to promote systematic accessibility of democratic innovation; (4) raising the ambition of policy making through policy recommendations to strengthen democracy at all levels of governance.
We will seek to address the challenges we’ve identified: the need for better collaboration and networking in the democratic field, the need to connect existing knowledge on democracy and governance and make it more accessible, so that policymakers and practitioners are better equipped to the address complex challenges they are facing for inclusive societies and more resilient democracy
To address these and potential new challenges, substantial efforts are required from researchers, practitioners, policy makers and citizens. One of the most impactful ways to support this work is by connecting the efforts of all those who are pursuing the same goal
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HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support ActionsCoordinator
12045 Berlin
Germany