The presentations can be accessed by clicking on the links in the Agenda below
The Foster Europe Foundation and ALDA - European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) are delighted to invite you to the international online conference “Committed to the Future Towards Resilient Communities”, taking place on March 12, 2025, from 10:30 to 16:30 CET online.
Why Participate?
While the future of communities cannot be predicted, it can be anticipated with the right strategies and methodologies. This conference will bring together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss innovative approaches to foresight, participatory governance, and resilience building at the local level.
What to Expect?
The event will explore best practices and frameworks that enable communities to proactively address local environmental and socio economic challenges. Attendees will gain insights into:
The role of foresight in local governance and citizenship
Successful participatory governance experiences from across Europe
Lessons learned and opportunities for collaboration in breakout sessions
AGENDA:
12. March 2025, online, Zoom
10:30 | Welcome Session
Stefan August Lütgenau, Director, Foster Europe Foundation
10:50 | Opening session
Moderation: Stefan August Lütgenau, Director, Foster Europe Foundation
Nadia Di Iulio, Project Manager, ALDA - European Association for local democracy, The FOSTER project: future-oriented solutions toward environmental resilience
Keynote: Pierluigi Brombo, European Economic and Social Committee, HoU Foresight and Policy Studies
11:10 | Panel 1 - Foresight in local governance and citizenship: opportunities and challenges
Moderation: Nadia Di Iulio, Project Manager, ALDA - European Association for local democracy, The FOSTER project: future-oriented solutions toward environmental resilience
Keynote: Katerina Ciampi Stancova, Policy Research and Advice, Capacity Building Lead, OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Case study 1: Future and foresight to improve mental health services in Veneto Region: the case of CONFCooperative, Nicoletta Boldrini, Futures & Foresight Director, Tech4Future
Case study 2: Salus Space: a shared future thinking experience of socio-economic urban regeneration, Pier Francesco Orsi, Salus Space Project Manager
Case study 3: Images of the Future: Young people’s imaginations of human-water relations: Furkan Sorkuncuk, Project Coordinator, Volonteurope
12:40 | Lunch break
14:00 | Panel 2 - Participatory governance: European successful experiences
Moderation: Stefan August Lütgenau, Director, Foster Europe Foundation
Case Study 1: Participatory Democracy Case Studies from Slovakia - Martina Balazova, Comenius University Bratislava
Case Study 2: The Climate Council, Deliberative Experience on the Federal Level - Lukas Hammer, Member of the National Council, Austria
Case Study 3: Participatory Governance in Past and Present: The Slovakian Experience - Daniel Klimovsky, Comenius University, Bratislava
Keynote: Measuring Quantity and Quality: The Participation Index - George Petrov, Citizen’s Participation Forum, Bulgaria
15:30 | Lessons Learned - Breakout Rooms
Room 1: Foresight, Policy Making and Participation
Expert: Katerina Ciampi Stancova, Policy Research and Advice, Capacity Building Lead, OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Moderation: Flavia Pesce, Institution for Social Research
Room 2: Measuring Quantity and Quality: How to implement the Participation Index
Expert: George Petrov, Citizen’s Participation Forum, Bulgaria
Moderation: Martin Barthel, Vice Director, Head of Education and Training Comparative Research Network e.V.on
Room 3: Participatory Governance: Necessary Preconditions and framing
Experts: Martina Balazova and Daniel Klimovsky, Comenius University Bratislava
Moderation: Nadia Di Iulio, Project Manager, ALDA - European Association for local democracy, The FOSTER project: future-oriented solutions toward environmental resilience
16:00 | Conclusion & Outlook
Challenges for participatory democracy and governance, Tamara Ehs, Ehs & Fils Democracy Consulting
16:15 | End of event
*The conference is organised within the FOSTER - Future oriented Solutions Toward Environmental Resilience, a two years project funded by the CERV - Citizens Equality Rights and Values programme of the European Union. The project aims to contribute to the development of governance frameworks that can effectively and inclusively address future environmental challenges at local level, by fostering strategic foresight and preventative local management of climate change-related phenomena. Started in September 2024, during the project, participants build capacity for foreseeing and analysing future socio-economic needs as consequences of climate change at local level; as well as, co-designing potential solutions bringing together all relevant stakeholders and community representatives at public and private level. Finally, international online networks are created to share best practices, materials and widely raise the debate on future oriented environmental governance.