We are a diverse group of actors including policy makers, academics, practitioners, journalists and civil society, inspired by tentative efforts of past EU legislatures to institutionalise citizen participation. Our goal is to push them to go further!
As a core part of this campaign, we are organising a pilot transnational assembly to demonstrate what a future permanent peoples’ assembly could look like. This assembly will comprise both in-person and online meetings with groups of people from across Europe – selected by random lottery – to engage in multilingual, transnational deliberations in setting the future agenda. From autumn 2024 throughout 2025 - and we hope beyond - the assembly will be travelling to different European cities asking participants to put forward proposals for how the EU can better prepare for and respond to future crises.
The assembly will grow and rotate in membership over time - we aim for 500 members, chosen by lot. And it will bring together citizens from across the European continent with local citizens from the cities it visits. Our first meeting will take place from 27 until 29 September in Athens as the start of the process and will include circa 200 participants. This will be followed by a series of online meetings and two further in-person sessions. As more local assemblies take place and connect, we hope to help develop a culture of democratic participation and make a strong case to the EU institutions to take notice.
You have an opportunity to become an observer of this groundbreaking experiment in deliberation to join us in Athens for our first assembly meeting.
As observers you will:
- attend the assembly meeting in Athens from 27 until 29 September
- join the organising team in a feedback session on 30 September
- help improve the process by analysing it and providing recommendations
- have the possibility to join further assembly meetings, to follow the process as a whole.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a significant democratic process and help shape the future of Europe. To express your interest in becoming an observer please fill out this form and we will get in touch with you.
Note: Currently, we do not have funding to cover accommodation and transport costs for observers. However, this may change in the future as we continue to seek additional funding. Catering will be provided for the assembly meeting in Athens. We appreciate your understanding and commitment to making this initiative a success despite these limitations.