FOSTER International Online Conference | 11 June 2025
On 11 June 2025, ALDA and Foster Europe Foundation hosted the international online conference “Civic Participation and Democracy: Limits, Potentials, and Extremes”, a key milestone of the FOSTER – Future Oriented Solutions Toward Environmental Resilience project, co-funded by the European Union.
Building on insights from a previous FOSTER conference focused on civil society’s role in environmental resilience, this event brought together practitioners, experts, and engaged citizens to explore the depth and complexity of civic participation across different contexts.The conference was structured around two interconnected themes:
Differences and Similarities of Civic Engagement
This session explored civic participation at local, regional, national, and transnational levels, using real-world examples to highlight varying approaches, methods, and interventions. Particular attention was given to civic action in rural areas, where engagement often transcends traditional urban concepts of the polis, and is shaped instead by neighbourhood-based or village-level structures.
Civic Participation in Situations of Extremes
The second part of the conference addressed civic engagement in times of crisis. Presentations focused on:
- Belarus, where civil society continues to resist authoritarian oppression and electoral fraud.
- Ukraine, where citizens are mobilising in the face of Russia’s full-scale war, both inside the country and in exile.
These case studies powerfully demonstrated how civic engagement not only supports communities in surviving extraordinary circumstances, but also reinforces the value of pluralism and democratic resilience.
The event was introduced with a keynote by Professor Elena García Guitián (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), offering a conceptual framing of civic participation today. Throughout the day, participants engaged in dynamic exchanges during plenary sessions and interactive breakout rooms, reflecting on two key questions:
- What do we need from Europe?
- How are democracy, civic participation, and development interconnected?
Conference Programme Highlights
09:00 | Welcome
Stefan August Lütgenau, Foster Europe Foundation
09:30 | Opening Session
Nadia Di Iulio, ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy
Keynote by Elena García Guitián, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
10:10 | Case Studies on Civic Participation
Moderation: Stefan August Lütgenau
- Irene Alonso Toucido, Democratic Odyssey – Transnational participation
- Stefan Sindelar, Innovation in Politics – Regional & local engagement
- Iva Taralezhkova, Devetaki Plateau – Participation in rural areas
- Anastasia Busaileva, ALDA Ukraine – Civic action in exile and at home
- Anastasiya Svirkova, People’s Embassy of Belarus – Resistance to dictatorship
- Maja Vejzović, LDA Mostar – Civic participation and reconciliation
13:00 | Breakout Discussions
Room 1: What do we need from Europe? – Expert: Maja Vejzović
Room 2: Civic Participation, Democracy and Development – Expert: Anastasia Busaileva
15:00 | Closing Reflections & Outlook
The conference reaffirmed that civil society is an essential pillar of democratic systems, particularly in times of uncertainty and upheaval. It also underlined the importance of creating inclusive spaces where citizens —regardless of geography, status, or context— can act, influence, and build democratic futures together.
FOSTER is a project co-funded by the European Union, coordinated by Foster Europe Foundation in partnership with ALDA and other key actors.
