International Seminar “Stronger Democracy through Multilevel Governance” - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Back International Seminar “Stronger Democracy through Multilevel Governance”

Modified 6 Months ago.

“The New Democratic Pact is about renewal, not reinvention. By strengthening cooperation across all levels of governance, we can make democracy both resilient and relevant to citizens’ daily lives”, said Congress Vice-President Konstantinos Koukas opening the joint event on 19 November.

As democratic institutions face growing pressure worldwide - such as global and geopolitical developments that test their resilience, disinformation, erosion of local participation - regional representatives, youth organisations, and think tanks will gather in Barcelona on 19 November 2025 for the International Seminar “Stronger Democracy through Multilevel Governance.”

Co-organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and the Government of Catalonia, this seminar - held during the 53^rd CPMR General Assembly - will focus on strengthening democracy through participation, decentralisation, and innovation.

The event contributes to the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, which seeks to make democracy more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to citizens’ needs, especially younger generations.

The seminar will open with high-level remarks from:

Filip REINHAG, President of CPMR; Regional Councillor, Region Gotland, Sweden
Jaume DUCH, Regional Minister for EU and Foreign Action in the Generalitat de Catalunya
Konstantinos KOUKAS, Vice-President of the Congress, Congress Rapporteur on New Democratic Pact for Europe

Across three interactive sessions, participants will discuss insights from regional leaders, will have an open exchange on strengthening participation and institutions as well as on tackling disinformation and technology’s role in democratic life.

Contact: Ana Canomanuel (CPMR)

Congress Communication Unit

AGENDA

Opening Statements

Filip REINHAG, President of the CPMR; Regional Councillor, Region Gotland, Sweden
Jaume DUCH, Regional Minister for EU and Foreign Action, Generalitat de Catalunya
Konstantinos KOUKAS, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Congress Rapporteur on the New Democratic Pact for Europe, Council of Europe

Keynote speech

Agusti FERNANDEZ DE LOSADA PASSOLS, Secretary for European and Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation, Generalitat de Catalunya

SESSION I: The State of Democracy and Multilevel Governance in Europe and the world – Challenges & Opportunities towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe

Marie-Antoinette MAUPERTUIS, President of the Corsican Assembly, France, President of the CPMR Islands Commission
Siv Henrietta JACOBSEN, Councillor; Østfold County, Norway, Vice-President of the CPMR North Sea Commission
Sari NURRO, Member of the Regional Board, Oulou Region, Finland
Hélène DRAINVILLE, Delegate General of the Québec Government in Brussels, Canada
Francesc ALMENDROS, Co-President of the Mediterranean Youth Council, associate professor of economy at UAB

DISCUSSION

SESSION II: Interactive Survey & Debate on Building Resilience, Democratic Security and Innovation for Stronger Democracy

DISCUSSION

SESSION III: Interactive Session on Digital Information & Artificial Intelligence

Paulius KOLOSOVAS, Youth Delegate, Lithuania, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Nereida CARRILLO, President Learn to Check and Professor of Journalism at the Autonomous University of Barcelona

CONCLUSIONS and NEXT STEPS

Summary of Main Recommendations

Closing remarks

Claudia LUCIANI, Director of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Agusti FERNANDEZ DE LOSADA PASSOLS, Secretary for European and Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation, Generalitat de Catalunya

Strasbourg, France 12 November 2025

Diminuer la taille du texte
Augmenter la taille du texte
Imprimer la page

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Newsroom