The third edition of Winter Democracy Academy: Youth Mobilization, Media Literacy and Democracy

The third edition of the Winter Democracy Academy (WDA) took place from 8th to 13th December 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal, bringing together youth workers, young people, researchers, policymakers, and civil society actors from across Europe. Co-organised by DYPALL-verkko,  Portugalin urheilu- ja nuorisoinstituutti,  Lisbon Youth Center,  Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon,  European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal, ja European Commission Representation in Portugal, the Academy once again served as a space for dialogue, cooperation, and democratic innovation focused on youth participation.

Under the theme “Youth Mobilization and Media Literacy for Democratic Values”, the 2025 edition explored how young people engage in democracy in an increasingly digital public sphere. A diverse programme  combining non-formal education, research-based reflection, policy dialogue, artistic expression, and institutional exchange took place during this week-long event

International conference: Youth Mobilisation and Media Literacy for Democratic Values

The highlight of the week was the international conference “Youth Mobilisation and Media Literacy for Democratic Values”, held on 10th December, marking International Human Rights Day and opening the Winter Democracy Academy to a wider public. The conference brought together participants from all WDA activities, alongside representatives of European institutions, local authorities, civil society organisations, researchers, and youth-led initiatives.

Following the welcome speech by Bruno António, Executive Director of DYPALL-verkko, the conference opened with institutional reflections emphasising the importance of youth participation, democratic resilience, and media literacy as pillars of contemporary democracies.

The keynote address, “Spaces for Democratic Innovation in Europe and Portugal”, was delivered by Roberto Falanga, Assistant Research Professor at the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon. Drawing on extensive research, he explored the lack of youth participation, the limitations of equating democratic engagement solely with voting, and the role of democratic innovations—such as participatory budgeting, youth assemblies, and hybrid digital–physical formats—in expanding participation. He further highlighted the importance of intersectionality in participation and media literacy, stressing that inclusive democratic innovation must actively address structural inequalities.

The keynote was followed by a roundtable discussion, “Mobilizing Digital Spaces for Youth-Driven Change for Democracy”, moderated by Bruno António. The panel brought together:

• Rita Martins de Sousa, Vice-president for communication and community at Próxima Geração
• Lana Pašić, Youth research and Policy manager at the EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership
• Stefan Sindelar, CEO of the European Capital of Democracy

The discussion explored how digital spaces have become central arenas for political socialisation and mobilisation among young people. Speakers addressed both the opportunities created by online participation—such as accessibility and transnational mobilisation—and the risks linked to disinformation, algorithmic bias, hate speech, and shrinking civic space. The panellists stressed the importance of critical thinking, media literacy, responsibility, and political will, concluding that meaningful youth participation must be co-created with young people and embedded in trust-based democratic structures.

The conference also showcased the following European good practices and impact initiatives, illustrating concrete approaches to youth engagement and democratic innovation:

Bataljong presented “It’s up to you again” ja Debattle, initiatives developed around the Belgian elections to support youth councils, first-time voters, and democratic competence-building.

European Youth Press introduced PulseZ, a youth-led digital journalism and storytelling platform empowering young people as content creators and agenda-setters in Europe’s public sphere.

The Center of Digital Inclusion (CDI) presented its work on social innovation with technology, highlighting how digital tools can shift power and foster inclusion when grounded in social justice and community needs.

Partner-led workshops: from theory to practice

In the afternoon, the conference programme continued with a series of interactive workshops organised by WDA partners, offering participants hands-on learning opportunities connected to the conference themes.

EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership facilitated the workshop “Shrinking Civic Space: A Checklist for Youth Organisations”, introducing a practical tool to help organisations identify barriers to participation, including legal, financial, and political constraints, and to reflect on strategies to safeguard civic space.

EU Neighbours East programme delivered “Disinfo Detectives: A Simulation Game for Digital Democracy”, an interactive role-play workshop that immersed participants in realistic digital information ecosystems. Through simulated news cycles and assigned stakeholder roles, participants explored how misinformation spreads and how trust, emotions, and power dynamics shape online discourse.

European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal hosted the workshop “Values that Move Me”, using its educational board game to engage participants in a playful yet reflective exploration of European values, democratic processes, and citizenship. The workshop demonstrated how non-formal education tools can make complex institutional concepts accessible and relevant for young people.

Training, study visits, and exchange of practices

Beyond the conference, the Winter Democracy Academy included the training course “Local Youth Councils for Democratic Engagement and Media Literacy”, gathering young members of local youth councils and youth workers from across Europe. Participants explored the Quality standards for participatory and inclusive local youth councils, reflected on social media’s impact on local participation, and developed concrete action plans to strengthen democratic engagement in their communities. The training was funded by the Erasmus+ programme through the Portuguese National Agency.

Complementing the training, study visits to the Municipality of Almada ja ja Cascaisin kunta allowed participants to explore local youth work ecosystems and good practices in participatory governance. These visits showcased how municipalities can integrate youth councils, youth centres, and cross-sector cooperation into coherent local participation strategies, offering inspiration adaptable to different local contexts. The visits were a part of the Study visit from Belgium organised in cooperation with Bataljong, which brought 15 municipality representatives from Flanders to WDA.

Strategic reflection and expert meetings

The 2025 edition also featured several expert-level meetings. The EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership researchers’ meeting examined emerging trends, focusing on participation gaps, intergenerational dialogue, digital practices, and the role of artificial intelligence in youth political socialisation. The “WDA, planning the future” experts’ meeting brought together researchers and institutional partners to define thematic priorities and innovative formats for future editions, reaffirming Human Rights as the Academy’s core pillar.

At the network level, the DYPALL-verkoston ohjausryhmän kokous ja Jäsenten kokous provided space for strategic coordination, peer exchange, and future planning among members of our network. This was the last meeting of the Steering group members whose mandate was ending, and it was also an opportunity for a handover to the new Steering group that starts in 2026.  “Networking for Democracy” was the theme of this year’s Assembly of members, a key governance and networking event where members exchange experiences, define strategic directions, and plan activities related to youth engagement at the local level. 

Concluding reflections

The Winter Democracy Academy 2025 provided space and inspiration for connecting local practice, European policy, research, and youth-led action. By combining youth mobilisation, media literacy, and democratic innovation within a human rights framework, the third edition reinforced WDA’s role as a key European platform for strengthening meaningful youth participation and democratic resilience.

The 2025 edition was co-funded by the European Union, co-organised by DYPALL-verkko, Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth (IPDJ, I.P.),  Lisbon Youth Center,  Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon, European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal, ja European Commission Representation in Portugal, with contributing partners including Bataljong, European Capital of Democracy, EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership, European Youth Press, EU Neighbours East, the Portuguese National Youth Council (CNJ), and the Municipalities of Almada and Cascais.

Preparations for the Winter Democracy Academy 2026 are already underway, and we are looking forward to expanding and enriching this important space for discussion and networking on the role of youth participation in safeguarding democracy.