Mission Statement: The project serves to strengthen European democracy and to create linkages among various initiatives in this area. The aim is to collect examples of what local, participatory democracy can look like.

Description: The initiative wants to place a greater focus on the potential of local democracy initiatives. It enters into exchange with local actors about examples of democratic practices in European cities. This is meant to give citizens’ initiatives and mayors the opportunity to learn from one other and to make connections. The project aims to make members of the European Parliament aware of the importance of democratic practice in the cities and to encourage them to support it.

For everyday democratic practice is one of the main pillars of the EU. The project will collect and analyse examples of successful, local democratic practice in Europe. Both good and bad examples are to be presented, so as to learn with one another and from one another. Thus, cases of exemplary democratic practice are also to be included on the platform as structural examples, in order to stimulate substantive discussion. Competitions and awards, like the naming of a European Capital of Democracy on the initiative of a Vienna-based project, will also be publicized and promoted.