Foster Europe Foundation for strong European Regions

18/06/2026

Nach zahlreichen Veranstaltungen in ganz Europa erreicht das FREI-Projekt nun auch seinen österreichischen Local Path.

Am 23. Juni begrüßen wir Sie im Bruno Kreisky Forum zu spannenden Gesprächen über Demokratie, europäische Integration und die Rolle von Frauen in Gesellschaften nach Diktaturen. Gemeinsam werfen wir einen Blick auf historische Erfahrungen und ihre Bedeutung für die Gegenwart Europas.

PROGRAMM
14:00 Uhr – Registrierung
14:30 Uhr – Podiumsdiskussion: Österreichs Weg in die Europäische Union
Dr. Franz Vranitzky, Bundeskanzler a.D. im Gespräch mit Stefan Lütgenau
15:30 Uhr – Kaffeepause
16:00 Uhr – Podiumsdiskussion: Das Ende der Franco-Diktatur und das Leben von Frauen in Spanien
Aurora Mejía Errasquín, Botschafterin des Königreichs Spanien im Gespräch mit Stefan Lütgenau
17:00 Uhr – Diskussion
17:30 Uhr – Ende der Veranstaltung

Jetzt anmelden und Teil der Diskussion werden: https://www.foster-europe.org/konferenzen/frei-oesterreichs-weg-in-die-europische-union

11/06/2026

Another successful local path event of the FREI project. 👇

11/06/2026

☕ Save the date! Our third Virtual Coffee Meeting is coming up — and this time, we're exploring the topic of Empowering People & Intercultural Partnerships.

Join us on 25 June 2026 at 10:00 AM for an open, engaging exchange as part of the Danube Civil Society Forum's ongoing Virtual Coffee series. We're delighted to have Ana Zlibut, Danube Civil Society Forum Vice President, sharing her reflections on the topic.

Discussions build on the 12 Theses from the 12th Danube Participation Day. Register now — the Zoom link will be shared with confirmed participants.

🔗 Register here: https://danubestrategy.eu/events/virtual-coffee-meeting3

10/06/2026

Likes sammeln ist einfach. Aber wirklich gehört werden? Das ist eine Kompetenz – und die muss man lernen.

Beim SMILE Incubator Workshop in Eisenstadt haben Expert:innen und Stakeholder aus der Donauregion diskutiert, was Jugendliche wirklich brauchen, um online nicht nur präsent, sondern wirksam zu sein: kritisches Denken, Algorithmusbewusstsein, konstruktive Kommunikation – und etwas, das wir partizipative Alphabetisierung nennen könnten: das Wissen, wie politische Prozesse funktionieren und wie man sie mitgestalten kann.

Besonders im Blick: junge Menschen in ländlichen Regionen, denen nicht nur Infrastruktur fehlt – sondern die Räume, in denen Teilhabe überhaupt erst wächst.

🔗 Den ganzen Artikel gibt es jetzt auf unserem Blog: https://www.foster-europe.org/journal/likes-aber-keine-stimme-warum-social-media-kompetenz-mehr-ist-als-follower-zhlen

photo credit: olia-danilevich

03/06/2026

Climate change is already reshaping the way local communities live, plan, and make decisions. Strengthening resilience requires not only expertise and long-term thinking, but also meaningful citizen participation and cooperation across sectors and borders.

Join us on 9 June 2026 for the FOSTER International Online Conference, bringing together experts, civil society representatives, local and regional authorities, researchers, and engaged citizens from across Europe.

The conference will showcase experiences from seven European countries, explore participatory approaches to climate governance, and highlight practical examples developed through the FOSTER project. Through keynote presentations, country case studies, and interactive breakout discussions, participants will exchange ideas on how communities can better anticipate and respond to future environmental and socio-economic challenges.

The programme will also feature perspectives from Ukraine and Moldova, offering valuable insights into resilience, participation, and environmental action in times of rapid change.

📅 9 June 2026
💻 Online
🎟️ Participation is free of charge, but registration is required: https://www.foster-europe.org/konferenzen/climate-change-impact-mitigation-and-the-role-of-participatory-democracy
project
We look forward to welcoming you for a day of dialogue, learning, and collaboration on the future of climate-resilient communities.

01/06/2026

We are pleased to announce that the 13th Danube Participation Day will take place in Sofia,Bulgaria, on 2 November 2026.

As an official side event of the 15th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, this year’s Danube Participation Day will explore the theme:

"Inclusive Participation for Greater Impact: Strengthening the Partnership Principle in the Danube Region"

The conference aims to bring together key stakeholders to explore how the Partnership Principle can drive stronger collaboration and meaningful civil society engagement in the Danube Region. With an eye on the future EU funding period, the event will focus on unlocking the full potential of cooperation to strengthen democratic participation, share best practices and prepare for the next programming period.

Join stakeholders from across the Danube Region for a day of exchange, participation, and inspiration including:

- Engaging Panel Discussions
- Interactive Group Discussions
- The Danube Participation Agora
- Networking Opportunities

A draft agenda, registration information, and further practical details will be available soon on our website.

Please save the date and join us in Sofia!

We are pleased to announce that the 13th Danube Participation Day will take place in Sofia,Bulgaria, on 2 November 2026.

As an official side event of the 15th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, this year’s Danube Participation Day will explore the theme:

"Inclusive Participation for Greater Impact: Strengthening the Partnership Principle in the Danube Region"

The conference aims to bring together key stakeholders to explore how the Partnership Principle can drive stronger collaboration and meaningful civil society engagement in the Danube Region. With an eye on the future EU funding period, the event will focus on unlocking the full potential of cooperation to strengthen democratic participation, share best practices and prepare for the next programming period.

Join stakeholders from across the Danube Region for a day of exchange, participation, and inspiration including:

- Engaging Panel Discussions
- Interactive Group Discussions
- The Danube Participation Agora
- Networking Opportunities

A draft agenda, registration information, and further practical details will be available soon on our website: https://danubestrategy.eu/events/13th-danube-participation-day

Please save the date and join us in Sofia!

27/05/2026

Tomorrow, partners and stakeholders of the SMILE Incubator - Social Media Leadership Incubator for Danube Region project will come together to explore one of the key questions shaping youth participation in the digital age: how can social media skills and leadership competences be strengthened in meaningful and inclusive ways?

The workshop “Assessing Main Issues Related to Youth Social Media Skills and Leadership” will focus particularly on the realities of young people living in rural and peripheral areas of the Danube Region. Through collaborative discussions, participants will reflect on current challenges, policy gaps and practical approaches that can support more effective digital participation and youth engagement.

The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the project’s upcoming policy recommendations and strategic guidelines for social media leadership.

This workshop is organised within the SMILE Incubator project , which aims to strengthen youth leadership and social media skills in rural communities across the Danube Region. The event is hosted by Foster Europe Foundation , responsible for leading Deliverable D.1.2.2 within the project. While

22/05/2026

Klimawandel und Wasserzukunft gehen uns alle an.

Beim lokalen Abschluss des FOSTER-Projekts in Neusiedl am See diskutierten Vertreter:innen aus Landwirtschaft, Naturschutz, Tourismus, Forschung und Verwaltung über die Zukunft eines resilienten Wassermanagements rund um den Neusiedler See.

Im Mittelpunkt standen gemeinsame Lösungen, Bürger:innenbeteiligung und die Frage, wie wir die wertvolle Ressource Wasser langfristig schützen und nachhaltig nutzen können.

Vielen Dank an alle Teilnehmenden, Vortragenden und Partner:innen für den engagierten Austausch!

Den vollständigen Veranstaltungsrückblick gibt es auf unserer Website: https://www.foster-europe.org/journal/klimawandel-und-wasserzukunft-am-neusiedler-see sowie auf meinbezirk.at: https://www.meinbezirk.at/neusiedl-am-see/c-wirtschaft/klimawandel-zwingt-region-zu-neuem-bewusstsein-fuer-wasser_a8652383

20/05/2026

🌍 INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CONFERENCE – FOSTER PROJECT
🗓 9 June 2026 | 💻 Online | 🎟 Free participation

How can local communities better respond to the long-term impacts of climate change?

The FOSTER – Future Oriented Solutions Toward Environmental Resilience project invites stakeholders from across Europe to an international online conference focused on inclusive and future-oriented local climate governance.

During the event, participants will:
✔️ discover national experiences and local pathways from across Europe
✔️ explore participatory approaches to climate governance
✔️ join interactive breakout discussions
✔️ connect expertise with citizen engagement
✔️ contribute ideas for a practical toolkit supporting resilient local communities

The programme features keynote speakers, country case presentations, and discussions involving civil society organisations, researchers, local and regional authorities, and engaged citizens.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required: https://www.foster-europe.org/konferenzen/climate-change-impact-mitigation-and-the-role-of-participatory-democracy

Join us in shaping more resilient and participatory futures for our communities.

Foster - Future Oriented Solutions Toward Environmental Resilience
ALDA - European Association for Local Democracy AMR - Asociaţia Municipiilor din România Comparative Research Network, Conseil des Communes et Régions d'Europe ( ), : Research and Innovation for Social Change, , - Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities.