Plenary session 3 "What Future for Citizen Participation?" just wrapped up. When citizens disengage, democracy weakens. This session explored how tools like deliberative forums and citizens’ assemblies can rebuild trust and revive democratic life.
Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty reminded us that participation is a human right, not just a citizen’s right, and called for more inclusive spaces, especially for migrants and youth.
Edmundo González Urrutia, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2024, shared a powerful message from Venezuela: “It’s easier to lose a democracy than to regain it.”
Julian Sastoque, winner of the 2025 Kofi Annan NextGen Prize at the Athens Democracy Forum, urged young people to stop waiting for an invitation: “Build your own table and make it inclusive.”
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