France-Germany Day – Oui Speak Demokratie: Participation Sans Frontières

Democracy thrives on dialogue, and what better way to enhance the conversation than by pairing it with iconic culinary delights from the cultures you’re exploring to help retain a thing or two? On January 23rd, marking the 61st anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, the European School of Political and Social Sciences (ESPOL) in Lille and Mehr Demokratie in Cologne hosted a joint conference that brought democracy enthusiasts together for an engaging evening of ideas, questions, and cultural exchange.

Organized by students and PhD candidates at ESPOL, the event blended thought-provoking presentations with a celebration of diversity, offering participants the chance to explore the possibility for citizen participation in France and Germany while savoring traditional food and beverages from France and Germany. In Germany, attendees enjoyed crêpes and quiche, while in France, participants indulged in Brezel and Black Forest gâteau. The evening welcomed in-person attendees in Lille and Cologne and connected them with each other and with virtual participants.

While the first half of the event Achim Wölfel (Mehr Demokratie) and Prof. Raul Magni Berton (ESPOL) explored the German and French democratic landscapes, the second half of the event focused on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), with expert Anne Hardt from Democracy International e.V. presenting insights into how it works and what initiatives can be made.

Finally, participants took part in a creative challenge. Using emojis assigned at the beginning of the conference, teams brainstormed and designed European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) on various topics. Proposals were made on the topics of protecting diversity of books in public libraries and securing access to mental health facilities throughout Europe. The session ended with a lively Q&A moderated by the organizers, where attendees reflected on the ideas shared and engaged in collaborative problem-solving.

Article by Elsa Carmen Saliba