Democracy in Action Looks Ahead to Izmir Workshop in September

The Democracy in Action project continues to build momentum across Europe and beyond, with its recent international survey “Mapping Grassroots Arts and Culture Organisations working with/for Youth” receiving an impressive 392 responses from over 40 countries.
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The high level of participation confirms the growing relevance of grassroots cultural organisations in fostering civic engagement, strengthening democratic participation, and supporting community well-being through creative and locally rooted initiatives. The survey offered a rich overview of how organisations working with and for young people are responding to contemporary social and environmental challenges, while also highlighting the values and methodologies shaping their work.
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As part of the next phase of the project, three organisations have been selected to participate in the upcoming Democracy in Action workshop “Grassroots Culture for Youth Climate Action”, which will take place in Izmir, Türkiye, from 23 to 25 September 2026, in collaboration with Kentimiz Izmir (TAG).
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The selected organisations are:

• Take a Part
• FECE Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Culture & Education
• Organisation Earth
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These organisations were recognised for the quality of their engagement with youth groups and for their innovative approaches to environmental awareness and climate-related action through grassroots cultural practices.

The Izmir workshop will focus on the role of grassroots culture in addressing the climate crisis, recognising climate change not only as an environmental issue, but also as a cultural challenge that requires new collective imaginaries, behaviours, and forms of participation. Through workshops, discussions, and roundtables, participants will explore how cultural initiatives can contribute to climate resilience and youth empowerment at the local level.
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The outcomes of the workshop are expected to feed into broader international discussions ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026, strengthening the connection between grassroots cultural action and global climate dialogue.
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The Democracy in Action research team of Fondazione Santagata would like to sincerely thank all organisations that contributed to the survey and shared their experiences, perspectives, and practices. The remarkable engagement demonstrated through this initiative reinforces the importance of transnational collaboration in shaping more inclusive, participatory, and sustainable democratic futures.
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For more information about the research activities, please contact the project team at info@fondazionesantagata.it.

The Democracy in Action project has received funding from the European Union under the HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-02 programme under Grant Agreement No. 101178843.

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