As part of a project to prepare for a free and independent Ukraine, ten representatives from six pilot territorial communities in Ukraine (local authorities and civil society organisations or CSOs) will participate in a study visit to Austria from 17 to 21 September 2024.
The five-day visit, jointly organised with the European Capital of Democracy initiative, will help the Ukrainian delegation with examples of successful implementation of civil participation mechanisms such as citizens’ assemblies or participatory budgeting, in Vorarlberg, Salzburg and Vienna to develop a vision for active citizen engagement in the reconstruction and recovery process in Ukraine
The participants will meet with representatives from Austrian municipalities, CSOs, and with beneficiaries to learn about best practice in participatory democracy, and to discuss challenges that encounter the actors when working on the groundOne of the priorities for the discussions will be how to reach out to young people and create an overall participatory culture in our societies.
The Ukrainian delegation will also gain a better understanding of the Austrian legal framework and regulations related to civil participation, allowing them to better plan, promote, implement, and monitor civil participation tools and mechanisms in their respective municipalities in Ukrainian.
The study visit is part of the Council of Europe project “Strengthening democratic resilience through civic participation during the war and in the post-war context in Ukraine” (2023-2024).
