Presentation of the Annual Programme of the First European Capital of Democracy in Barcelona
In January Barcelona was selected as the first European Capital of Democracy (ECoD). The city convinced a citizens’ jury of thousands of Europeans for its commitment to democratic innovation and for the leading role of citizens in its public policies, in projects as important as the Decidim platform, participatory budgets or citizens’ assemblies by lottery such as the Fòrum Jove.
The ceremony included speeches by Marc Serra, Councillor for Citizens’ Rights and Participation, Marta Clari Padrós, Manager of Culture, Education, Science and Community, and Arnau Monterde, Director of the Directorate for Democratic Innovation, who explained the importance of this recognition and extended an invitation to Barcelona’s citizens and organisations to collaborate in devising and co-creating the programme. The various activities and meetings that will be held aim to strengthen democracy through innovation and participation at local, European and international level. Furthermore, the importance of linking the European Capital of Democracy with some of the main participation projects planned for 2024, such as participatory budgets or a metropolitan deliberative assembly, including in terms of climate policies, was raised.
In addition to the speeches of the municipal authorities, the event also included the active participation of the promoters of the initiative, Helfried Carl and Martina Fürrutter of the Innovation in Politics Institute.
The ECoD is a European non-profit initiative promoted by The Innovation in Politics Institute and supported by the European Commission. The initiative aims to open a Europe-wide debate on the democratic challenges for the next decades in Europe, through a series of events and activities in the city between September 2023 and October 2024.
From autumn 2023 and for one year, Barcelona will be the stage for strengthening democracy through innovation and participation at local, European and international level. The city will host and co-organise together with the European Capital of Democracy NPO an annual programme with high-profile projects and initiatives, such as the exhibition on culture and democracy the Art of Democracy, three weeks of European challenge during the Truth, Lies & Democracy meeting, or ACT NOW Mayor’s Conference, the European mayors’ meeting on climate policy.
The European Capital of Democracy programme has the support of the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan, with which it will work together to consolidate the project’s local technical office.