GEYC has officially submitted its contribution to the Council of Europe's New Democratic Pact for Europe, under the pillar “Learning and Practicing Democracy.”
The contribution was presented in the context of the conference Shaping democratic renewal: civic space and the path to a New Democratic Pact for Europe, reinforcing GEYC’s commitment to strengthening democratic culture through youth participation, digital citizenship, and cross-border cooperation.
Drawing on our experience working with young people and civil society organisations across Europe, our message is clear: democratic resilience grows when democracy is actively practiced, not only institutionally safeguarded.
What we emphasised
In our submission, we highlight three priorities essential for Europe’s democratic future:
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Democratic and digital citizenship as core infrastructure for participation in a hybrid online–offline environment;
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Meaningful youth participation mechanisms that go beyond consultation and enable co-creation and shared decision-making;
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Safe and enabling civic space, where dialogue across differences can take place constructively.
We also stress the need for:
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Long-term investment in civic and digital literacy;
Institutionalised youth councils and deliberative formats;
Ethical integration of AI in civic participation;
Cross-border and intergenerational dialogue platforms.
Why it matters
From our field practice, we see that young people are willing to engage in democratic life when participation is structured, inclusive, and impactful. A New Democratic Pact for Europe must therefore treat democratic culture as an ecosystem, embedded in education, digital spaces, and community life.
This contribution reflects GEYC’s ongoing commitment to strengthening youth empowerment, digital citizenship, and participatory democracy across Europe.