Doing Democracy – Democrazia partecipativa al tempo della disinformazione


 Data e ora: giovedì 23 aprile 2026 | 18:30 – 20:00 CET

 In diretta dal municipio di Francoforte sull’Oder, sala del consiglio comunale — anche in streaming tramite Zoom

 Interpretazione simultanea in inglese

Questo DigiTalk ERUA fa parte di Doing Democracy: Connecting Academia and Civil Society Across Borders — un evento di networking tedesco–polacco che crea uno spazio condiviso di scambio tra mondo accademico e società civile su democrazia, resilienza e partecipazione oltre i confini.

 

In un contesto in cui i processi democratici sono sempre più messi alla prova da disinformazione, polarizzazione e calo della fiducia, ci concentriamo su come rafforzare in pratica la democrazia partecipativa. Accostiamo prospettive accademiche ed esperienze della società civile: come promuovere la resilienza democratica, quali forme di partecipazione sono efficaci oggi e come la collaborazione tra ricerca e pratica può rispondere alle sfide emergenti.

 

Trasmessa in diretta dal municipio di Francoforte sull’Oder, la tavola rotonda vedrà studiosi di spicco e voci della società civile, con moderazione della dott.ssa Anja Hennig (Europa-Universität Viadrina). Brevi interventi di attori della società civile arricchiranno il dibattito. L’apertura sarà affidata a Claus Junghanns, sindaco di Francoforte sull’Oder.

 

4th DigiTalk


Chi può partecipare?

  • Cittadini, studenti e accademici interessati a democrazia e partecipazione civica
  • Organizzazioni della società civile e ONG che lavorano sulla resilienza democratica
  • Ricercatori e operatori in scienze politiche, governance e alfabetizzazione mediatica
  • Membri della comunità ERUA in tutte le istituzioni partner
  • Chiunque sia preoccupato per la disinformazione e il suo impatto sui processi democratici

 

L’accesso è gratuito e l’evento è aperto a tutti.

 

Relatori – panel:

Welcome address:
Claus Junghanns, Mayor of Frankfurt (Oder)

Roundtable:

  • Prof. Radosław Markowski — SWPS University, Warsaw
  • Krzysztof Izdebski — Batory Foundation, Warsaw
  • Prof. Gesine Schwan — Berlin Governance Platform
  • Dr. Anne Holper — Center for Peace Mediation, EUV

Moderator: Dr. Anja Hennig, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)

Short spotlights from civil society actors will complement the discussion.

DOING DEMOCRACY is implemented in collaboration of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) and SWPS University, within the framework of the ERUA’s Work Package 5: Achieving Social Change in ERUA’s Local Communities and Regions. It creates a space where academia and civil society can work together on the future of democracy, as part of the ERUA Collaborative Open Space, developed and supported by the University of the Aegean.

Meet the speakers


 Parole chiave: democrazia, democrazia partecipativa, disinformazione, società civile, resilienza democratica, cooperazione tedesco-polacca, dialogo università–società civile, partecipazione civica, Francoforte sull’Oder

  1. SDG10Collegato all’SDG 10:
    Ridurre le disuguaglianze — partecipazione civica inclusiva, abbattimento delle barriere all’impegno democratico
  2. SDG16Collegato all’SDG 16:
    Pace, giustizia e istituzioni solide — rafforzare le istituzioni democratiche e la governance partecipativa
  3. SDG8Collegato all’SDG 8:
    Lavoro dignitoso e crescita economica — la partecipazione democratica come fondamento di economie inclusive e resilienti
  4. SDG4Collegato all’SDG 4:
    Istruzione di qualità — pensiero critico, alfabetizzazione mediatica ed educazione civica contro la disinformazione
  5. SDG5Collegato all’SDG 5:
    Uguaglianza di genere — processi democratici inclusivi che garantiscano pari voce e partecipazione


 Data e ora: giovedì 23 aprile 2026 | 18:30 – 20:00 CET

 In diretta dal municipio di Francoforte sull’Oder, sala del consiglio comunale — anche in streaming tramite Zoom

 Interpretazione simultanea in inglese


Collegati da ovunque e partecipa a questo dialogo attuale su democrazia, partecipazione e resilienza oltre i confini!

Vuoi partecipare in presenza o seguire la diretta?

Registrati e guarda la diretta

 La sessione sarà trasmessa in diretta. La registrazione sarà resa disponibile dopo l’evento.

Also available in German (DE) · Polish (PL) — via Doing Democracy livestream page.


Sessione informativa I – Hackathon Hack4impact 2025


 Data e ora: lunedì 15 settembre 2025
16:00–17:00 CEST

Scopri Hack4impact partecipando a questo DigiTalk – sessione informativa!

 

Hack4impact è un hackathon digitale che collega l’imprenditoria (anche sociale) alle riforme del settore pubblico digitale, alle competenze e agli Obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile (SDG). È un’iniziativa dell’Università dell’Egeo in collaborazione con l’European Reform University Alliance (ERUA), il Fondo di sviluppo regionale dell’Egeo settentrionale e GR digiGOV-innoHUB.

 

Approfondisci qui: https://hack4impact.digigov.innohub.gr/en/home/

 

Event 3


Chi può partecipare?

Sono benvenuti:

  • partecipanti della community ERUA
  • singoli professionisti & startup tecnologiche
  • team e persone da #ERUAiDeaThon2024 e dal corso di imprenditorialità sociale
  • portatori di interessi locali, innovatori sociali e imprenditori di tutte le regioni ERUA

 

Le sfide Hack4impact sono collegate a:

  • bisogni regionali (trasformazione digitale, fabbisogni emergenti di competenze & crescita inclusiva)
  • obiettivi centrali dell’ERUA (riforme guidate dalle università, imprenditorialità sociale)
  • priorità UE (riforma del settore pubblico, transizione digitale, SDG, comunità di conoscenza creative e interregionali)
  • aree tematiche ERUA: transizione ambientale, democrazia e diritti umani, interculturalità e multilinguismo, migrazione, arti & Edges

This session was part of a 3-part Info-Day for Hack4impact Hackathon participants. Two subsequent internal sessions followed:

Hack4impact Info-Day – Session II
Hack4impact Info-Day – Session III


Speakers:

Haris Alexopoulos (DigiGov InnoHub), Katerina Taka (ERUA University of the Aegean), Alejandros Melidis (Open Technologies Alliance - GFOSS)

Meet the speakers



ERUA Students and Local Communities


Thursday, December 12, 2024

This event delved into the significant role of ERUA students in building connections and driving positive change within local societies. We explored how ERUA students gain transformative learning experiences in diverse social landscapes and the initiatives through which ERUA empowers students to navigate multicultural communities, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to become active agents of social transformation.

Event 2


Agenda:
  • Welcome and introduction: "Achieving Social Change in ERUA's Local Communities and Regions" - Prof. Evangelia Kavakli, UAegean
  • ERUA Hackathon 2023 winners: "Inclusive Urban Mobility" - "S.D. Mobility" - Christoforos Tzannou, Nikolaos Foteinos, UAegean students
  • ERUA iDeaThon 2024 winners: "Ideas for Social Entrepreneurship"
    • "U-FIT" (Universities For Integration Through Training) - Susan Isobel Cranfield Mckay, ULPCG Lecturer
    • "EIL" (Inclusive European Leadership) - Zahira Filomena Mucerino, Alessandra de Nicolo, UNIMC students
  • "Mentoring for Social Impact: Connecting Entrepreneurs with Local Communities" - Efi Latsoudi, Social Scientist at R.S.A. NGO
  • "Empowering Students to Tackle Social-Cultural Challenges with ICT" - ERUA Travelling Seminars - Asst. Prof. Angeliki Kitsiou, UAegean
  • "Open Science & Social Entrepreneurship" - Asst. Prof. Harris Alexopoulos, Open Science Ambassador, UAegean
  • Q&A & Closing remarks

Thank you to all participants, presenters, and students who made this event part of the #ERUADay celebrations.

Meet the speakers


Thursday, December 12, 2024



 You can watch below or click here (via YouTube) for the recording of the Event



Creating Coexistence between Refugees and Host Communities: Social and Legal Challenges


Tuesday, May 21, 2024

This event was a unique opportunity to explore the social and legal challenges facing refugees and host communities, and to discover ways to foster social cohesion. The discussion brought together experts to examine both the social dynamics and legal frameworks necessary for successful integration.

Event 1


Session Topics:

Dr. Ildiko Otova explored how migration has become a hot topic for populist rhetoric and crisis narratives in Europe. She examined how these narratives create symbolic universes of rejection and discussed why it's crucial to open public debates to authentic voices from migrants themselves. Through scholarly insights and practical field experience, Dr. Otova presented ways to promote social change and foster sustainable communities through embracing diversity.

Dr. Lucas Pérez explored the complexities of integrating unaccompanied minors, building upon the Canary Islands' emergency response. He discussed efforts to ensure compliance with international treaties, challenges posed by the current system, ongoing legislative modifications, and the proposed system that could help address the crisis and serve as a model for other EU Member States.

Dr. Theodoros Iosifides (University of the Aegean) moderated the discussion and facilitated the live Q&A session.

Who Attended:

Professors and students in humanities, political and social sciences, legal professionals, social workers, educators and school administrators, humanitarian workers and NGO professionals, policymakers, and individuals interested in supporting harmonious refugee-host community relationships.

Thank you to all participants who joined this event.

Meet the speakers


Tuesday, May 21, 2024



 You can watch below or click here (via YouTube) for the recording of the Event



Knowledge Communities

Creative & Interregional Knowledge Communities (CIKCs) — ERUA WP5

Knowledge Communities are the core collaborative spaces of the ERUA Science Shop. They bring together students, academics, early-career researchers, regional authorities, civic actors, and societal partners to address shared challenges through structured dialogue and co-creation. Each DigiTalk event is connected to one of these three communities, reflecting the thematic focus of that particular session.

Sustainability & Regional Development

Linking SDG-based knowledge with regional transformation and green transition agendas. Connects academic expertise with place-based innovation, positioning regions as living laboratories for sustainable development and interregional cooperation.

Social Innovation & Civic Engagement

Fostering democratic participation, inclusion, and community-based solutions. Brings together universities and civic actors to address coexistence, governance, and social cohesion — from structured dialogue to community-based pilots across ERUA regions.

Creative & Artistic Engagement

Bridging arts and sciences to stimulate intercultural dialogue and creative experimentation. Recognises creativity as a method of knowledge production and societal change, building on the momentum of the ERUA Arts & Edges Biennale and cross-partner artistic initiatives.


DigiTalks: Moderatori e ospiti del panel

Claus Junghanns

Mayor of Frankfurt (Oder)
City Hall, Frankfurt (Oder)

4th DigiTalk 2026
Prof. Radosław Markowski

Professor of Political Science, SWPS University (SWPS)
Center for the Study of Democracy, Warsaw

4th DigiTalk 2026
Krzysztof Izdebski

Legal Expert & Transparency Advocate, Batory Foundation (Warsaw)

4th DigiTalk 2026
Prof. Gesine Schwan

Political Scientist, Berlin Governance Platform

4th DigiTalk 2026
Dr. Anne Holper

Co-Head of the Center for Peace Mediation, European University Viadrina (EUV)
Institute for Conflict Management (IKM)

4th DigiTalk 2026
Dr. Anja Hennig

Political Scientist, European University Viadrina (EUV)

4th DigiTalk 2026
Haris Alexopoulos

Assistant Professor on Open Data Governance, DigiGov InnoHub, University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)
Department of Information and Communication Systems Engineering

2nd DigiTalk 20253rd DigiTalk 2025
Katerina Taka

University of the Aegean

3rd DigiTalk 2025
Prof. Evangelia Kavakli

Professor
University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Christoforos Tzannou

ERUA Hackathon 2023 Winner - S.D. Mobility
Student, University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Nikolaos Foteinos

ERUA Hackathon 2023 Winner - S.D. Mobility
Student, University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Susan Isobel Cranfield Mckay

ERUA iDeaThon 2024 Winner - U-FIT / Lecturer, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC)
Faculty of Translation and Interpreting

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Zahira Filomena Mucerino

ERUA iDeaThon 2024 Winner - EIL
Student, University of Macerata (UNIMC)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Alessandra de Nicolo

ERUA iDeaThon 2024 Winner - EIL
Student, University of Macerata (UNIMC)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Efi Latsoudi

Social Scientist
R.S.A. NGO

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Asst. Prof. Angeliki Kitsiou

Assistant Professor
University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)

2nd DigiTalk 2025
Dr. Ildiko Otova

Migration and Integration Specialist

1st DigiTalk 2024
Dr. Lucas Pérez

Legal and Social Integration Expert, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC)

1st DigiTalk 2024
Dr. Theodoros Iosifides

Professor, University of the Aegean (UAEGEAN)
Department of Geography

1st DigiTalk 2024