Programm
A European Citizens' Assembly!
23. 5. 2025 17:00 Uhr bis
25. 5. 2025 14:00 Uhr
Maria-Jacobi-Gasse 1 1, 1030
Join the Democratic Odyssey in Vienna, from the 23rd to the 25th of May!
The Democratic Odyssey is a transnational experiment in deliberative democracy, advocating for a permanent peoples’ assembly for Europe. We bring together citizens from across the continent to deliberate on key challenges facing our future—ensuring that ordinary people, not just politicians, have a say in shaping Europe's path forward.
Why are we doing this?
Europe is at a crossroads. From democratic backsliding to climate change, from economic instability to geopolitical crises, our political institutions struggle to keep up with the complex realities of today’s world. While voter turnout is in decline in some countries, other regions show a strong demand for deeper citizen engagement. We believe democracy must evolve—by giving people a real voice in decision-making.
What is happening in Vienna?
The Democratic Odyssey is not just a single event—it’s a traveling citizens’ assembly, moving across Europe to bring diverse voices into the conversation about the future of democracy. Instead of being confined to one location, this assembly evolves over multiple stops, allowing participants from different countries to engage, contribute, and build upon each other’s ideas.
The journey began with the first in-person assembly in Athens (September 2024), where participants explored the crises facing Europe and the role of citizens in shaping solutions. From there, the assembly moved to Florence (February 2025), where discussions focused on policy proposals and democratic innovation. Now, the next destination is Vienna (23-25 May 2025)—a crucial moment to refine and advance the collective vision developed throughout the process.
Each stop of the assembly combines local and transnational participation, ensuring that voices from all across Europe are heard and that diverse perspectives shape the final recommendations. By traveling, the assembly adapts to different political and social contexts, making the deliberation truly European in scope.
The journey doesn’t end in Vienna—after this, the outcomes will be refined, presented to decision-makers, and used to advocate for a more participatory European democracy. This is a unique experiment in citizen-driven policy-making, and you can be part of it!
As part of this journey, we are organizing a citizens’ assembly in Vienna in May 2025. This assembly will bring together:
✅ 50 local residents of Vienna, selected by random lottery (sortition) to ensure fair representation
✅ Transnational participants from across Europe
✅ Facilitators, and interpreters to support the process
Over the course of several days, participants will deliberate, learn from experts, and develop concrete proposals on how European democracy can better respond to future crises.
Who can participate?
📌 You must be a resident of Vienna
📌 No prior experience or expertise is needed—just a willingness to engage in dialogue (the discussions will be translated)
📌 Selected participants will be compensated for their participation (100€)
How to register
👉 REGISTER HERE and add the digit: 333
📅 Deadline for registrations: 30th of April
Together, let’s shape the future of democracy—one conversation at a time!
For more information, visit:
📌 Democratic Odyssey website
Veranstalter*in: Democratic Odyssey
Art der Veranstaltung: Diskussionsveranstaltung/Vortrag/ Gespräch / Talk / Konferenz
Zielgruppe(n): Kinder und Familien, Jugendliche und Schulen, Erwachsene, Senior*innen, Mädchen und Frauen, LGBTQI+, Menschen mit Behinderungen, andere
Abhaltung:
Webseite: https://democratic-odyssey.k8s.osp.cat/assemblies/Vienna/f/230/
Anmeldung notwendig: ja
Link zur Anmeldung: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc04ztcz2sM0uEF-CZUH2e87-kwQWhV4Z1DE0JxkYZRfNlv0g/viewform
Kosten:
Kinderbetreuung (vor Ort): wird nicht angeboten
Räumliche Barrierefreiheit: nicht gegeben
Veranstaltungssprache(n): deutsch, englisch, andere, Italienisch und griechischer
Themenblockzuordnung: Beteiligung