Due to the high workload of all team members, current announcements are being made exclusively in English!
More information about news and events on Fit4Democracy.eu and vima-danube.eu
“Democracy Needs All of Us” – Report on the 10th Danube Networkers Meeting, Ulm 2026
It was an exciting meeting with 150 participants from 12 countries of the Danube Region, the youngest 15 and the oldest 85 years old. The in-person meetings of partners from different projects, along with the study visits on Wednesday, 8 July, and Thursday, 9 July, gave our guests valuable insights into social, educational, and cultural institutions shaped by democratic awareness and solidarity, including through the involvement of many volunteers. The conference at the Edwin-Scharff-Haus on the topic “Democracy Needs All of Us” on 10 July was a great success, again bringing together around 150 participants from 12 different countries of the Danube Region in a diverse mix of representatives from NGOs across a wide range of fields, as well as universities and schools. Intensive discussions took place at 19 roundtables, each addressing different current issues relating to democracy, social participation, and European cooperation. The multilingual AI-supported translation using Wordly on Friday morning – in German, English, and Romanian – was received particularly positively.
Final Programme of the Meeting of the Educational Network Danube Networkers
Project „Women strengthen democracy through critical and proactive use of the media“
With support from the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, Germany, DANET is realising a workshop as part of the Danube Networkers meeting on 9 and 10 July 2026. The aim is to foster a reflective approach to fake news, hate speech, and digital violence, thereby supporting democratic resilience, media freedom, and social cohesion. The targeted use of digital tools strengthens cooperation and networking at national and international levels. The workshop aims to provide female multipliers in women’s education from Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Germany with practical digital tools, enabling them to protect themselves against the misuse of media and to use it proactively.
Project “New Voices on the Danube”: Stakeholders from the EU Accession Countries at the Danube Networkers Meeting in July 2026
With support from the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, Germany, DANET e.V. is enabling 12 representatives of civil society organisations from the EU accession countries – Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia – to take part in the 10th partnership meeting of the “Danube Networkers” education network, organised by ILEU. A preliminary working meeting on 8 July will provide information on the EUSDR and EU funding programmes. Participants will play an active role in working meetings, conferences, and cultural events, forge partnerships, and develop ideas for their own democratic initiatives.
Meeting of the Danube-Networkers in Ulm, 8–11 July
Please note: Start on 8 July – expanded programme
As part of the 14th International Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm 2026, a partnership meeting of the international education network Danube Networkers and other stakeholders from the Danube region will take place from 8 to 11 July 2026, under the motto “Democracy Needs All of Us.”
ILEU e.V., in close cooperation with DANET e.V., the Danube Office, and other partners, is delighted to once again welcome friends from the Danube countries to Ulm. Active members of the Danube Networkers education network, as well as guests from other EUSDR networks, will participate in the meeting.
The programme includes working sessions for participants from different projects, as well as cross-project exchange through joint workshops. Friday, 10 July, will feature a large conference on the theme “Democracy Needs All of Us,” bringing together participants from all Danube countries. Using participatory methods, the conference will foster dialogue and the exchange of good practice examples, exploring how participants can work together toward a peaceful and united Europe.
Save the Date: July 9-11, 2026, and Call for Abstracts
Dear Danube-Networkers, Dear Friends of the Danube,
From 9 to 11 July 2026, the 10th partnership meeting of the Danube Networkers education network will take place in Ulm as part of the International Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm, with representatives from various areas of civil society – education, culture, social affairs, environment, and others – from all countries of the Danube region participating.
The topic of our meeting this time is “Democracy needs everyone.” The focus will be on exchanging examples of good practice: how can we strengthen participation, cooperation, and networking across borders and age groups in civil society, and work together for a peaceful and united Europe? We cordially invite you to participate!
Call for Abstracts
As always, we would like to offer colleagues the opportunity to present topic-relevant projects and methods that may be inspiring to others and serve to exchange knowledge and experience. The ILEU team reserves the right to select incoming contributions. All poster contributions will be considered.
Fill out the attached form and send it to us by February 25, 2026, at the latest. https://www.umfrageonline.com/c/hptd7d3r
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at europa@ileu.net.
Programme: detailed programme to follow in early March
Invitations with expenses covered will be issued to those actively involved in the preparation and implementation (limited number). See Call for Abstracts. If you would like to travel with a group or hold a working meeting during the conference on Thursday, please contact us now so that we can organize the rooms.
Further information:
About the Danube Festival: https://donaufest.de/
About the Danube Networkers meeting 2024: https://donaufest.tastes-of-danube.eu/
ELEVATE project holds 2nd partner meeting and study visit in Banská Bystrica, 21.–22. October 2025, Slovakia
Strengthening Cooperation and Inclusive Territorial Development Across the Danube Region
Project partners of the ELEVATE project gathered on 21–22 October 2025 in Banská Bystrica – Slovakia, for the 2nd partners’ meeting, hosted by the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region (BBSK). The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration, share good practices among project partners and advance the development of inclusive territorial governance models across the Danube Region.
Ján Michalský from the Department of Social Affairs and Social Policies of BBSK warmly welcomed all participants. Anita Molka, representing the Lead Partner, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia (DCHS), provided an overview of the two-day programme and highlighted its objectives.
The meeting opened with a lecture by Carmen Stadelhofer, Managing Director of ILEU e.V. , on “Aging Has Many Faces.” She discussed the diversity of aging processes, life situations and social contexts, emphasizing the role of education, new media, volunteering and networking structures in promoting active aging. She also highlighted how community cooperation between civil society, private sector and individuals can create age-friendly environments that foster social participation.
In the morning session, horizontal partners Urbasofia, ISG Amabilis, and ZICER shared examples to enhance partners’ knowledge and cooperation for inclusive territorial development. Irina Panait underlined the importance of strong financial management. Damjana Pangerčič presented Kind Life from Slovenia, which supports mental health and social inclusion of older adults and people with dementia through education, intergenerational activities, and digital campaigns, funded by sponsorships and donations. Nora Krstić introduced Accessible Zagreb, a digital platform improving urban accessibility and planning through co-creation and cross-sector collaboration, serving as a model for other cities.
Later in the morning, all 12 pilot partners showcased how good practices from other project partners inspired their pilot idea. This session, moderated by Milan Zbořil, focused on regional and local needs, mutual learning and strengthening institutional cooperation.
Anamarija Fortuna from DCHS led a brainstorming session to set goals for 2026–2028 mainstreaming activities. Partners will promote the ELEVATE model through various events and two International Forums, fostering inclusive co-creation under the motto “Nothing about us without us.”
The afternoon sessions included a training and capacity-building workshop on inclusive territorial development, moderated by Irina Panait from Urbasofia. Milan Zbořil presented the good practice of participatory planning of social services at the micro-regional level. Following partners activity in a workshop on financial model development, focusing on stakeholder mapping and designing robust financial mechanisms for sustainable initiatives. The meeting concluded with a Steering Committee.
The second day was dedicated to study visit. We visited the city of Kremnica, which offered valuable insights into how local communities in Banska Bystrica Region address demographic challenges and improve the quality of life for their residents. The visit began at the Kremnica Municipal Office, where partners were welcomed by Mr. Pavel Kravec, Mayor of Trnava Hora. He presented the Kremnica Microregion (around 10,000 residents) and its main challenges—ageing population, youth migration, and support for vulnerable groups. He noted that Kremnica is among the first in the region to address these issues innovatively.
A key part of the visit was the Centre of Integrated Social and Health Care (CISZS), launched in April 2024 to improve long-term care for older adults in the Banská Bystrica Region. As a pilot model, it integrates social and health services under one structure to ensure accessible, high-quality care that helps seniors and vulnerable groups stay independent. The CISZS team provides health monitoring, medication management, social support, and transport assistance. Currently active in the region, the model is being promoted for national rollout. Partners were also welcomed by Martin Novodomec, Mayor of Kremnica, who presented the city’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
After the presentations, we visited the Radmera Centre, where staff guided us through its four facilities and shared their progress despite early funding challenges. Founded in 2018 with the purchase of a family home, the centre grew through successive funding, including a €3 million grant in 2021, enabling reconstruction and expansion. It now offers daily activities for older adults and people with disabilities and accommodation for 123 clients.
The CISZS initiative operates on strong values of human rights, dignity, and personal development. It empowers clients to build confidence, explore talents, and foster social inclusion, showing how integrated care can transform communities and support ageing and vulnerable groups.
The ELEVATE project promotes collaboration across public, civil, and private sectors to build inclusive governance in the Danube Region, engaging older adults and people with disabilities. The two-day meeting reinforced goals of inclusive territorial development, mutual learning, and strengthening cooperation to improve pilot ideas and create a scalable ELEVATE model.
More information about the ELEVATE project: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate
More information about the Interreg Danube Region: https://interreg-danube.eu/
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Fit4Democracy Video Challenge – DEMOCRACY2GO
How to live democracy and win prizes?!
We’re looking for creative short videos (max. 3 minutes) that show how people put democratic values into practice, in schools, communities, workplaces, or everyday life. It can be your own story or a story that inspired you. The best videos will be rewarded with prizes worth 200€, 150€ and 100€ and will be presented at the websites of ILEU e.V. and at the Danube festival in July 2026.
Who can join?
Interested individuals of all ages from the Danube region and other European cities who want to get involved in an international level. School classes, youth groups, senior initiatives, mixed groups young and old, and all who are engaged in democratic action are welcome to participate as well.
- Groups: For initiatives or collectives (e.g., school classes, youth groups, friend groups) that demonstrate strong
teamwork and community impact. - Individuals: For personal contributions that show originality, motivation, and commitment to democratic values.
- Special “Young & Old”: For intergenerational projects that, connect different age groups in democratic action.
Final Submission: Deadline for video submission December 18, 2025
How to participate:
- Register through our contact form: https://forms.gle/Y3jVo6PTVfHvETmf6
- After your registration you`ll get a link for video uploading
- Optional: Take part on our online Workshops to develop your video creation skills
- Create your video (max. 3 minutes).
- Send the link to the video with a short description to: democracy@ileu.net
You need help for Video creation?
Apply for our online Workshops “training on video creation” until November 19, 2025.
We offer two Workshops with David Fichtner on 20. November about basic knowledge and 25. November about advanced knowledge, both days from 6.00 pm until 7.30 pm (CET). The sessions will be held in English, with possible translation into German, Bulgarian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Serbian. If you need translation let us know for organisational reasons.
Your video should focus on one of the following approaches:
- Presentation of experiences and impact of yourself or your group in promoting democratic values.
- Presentation of the activities of an existing group that is engaged with democracy-related topics.
- Design, implementation, and presentation of a concrete action that demonstrates democratic participation in
practice. - Interviews with people who are active in the field of democracy, sharing their ideas and perspectives.
As inspiration, you can use the methods and examples from our Fit4Democracy Toolbox, which you can find here: https://toolbox.fit4democracy.eu/method/
You can use your native language in the video, but please add English subtitles.
Evaluation & Prizes
The best videos in each category will be selected by a jury and awarded prizes worth €200, €150 and €100. The winners will be announced on 15 January 2026.
Lets Talk! Invitation Danube Zoom Talk – Connect with partners across Europe!
Dear collegues and friends from the Danube Region and other European countries
We got several feedbacks expressing that many of you would like to have more contacts with partners involved in our activities, the possibility to connect and chat with others easily and to find out more in common. That’s why we created the online Danube Talk on ViMA Danube by Zoom!
Within you can meet and exchange ideas with others coming in, or you make an appointment with someone you like to speak.
Time slots available:
At lunchtime Wednesday, 12.00 to 2.00 pm (CET) (in some countries 1.00 to 3.00 pm) and
Friday an after work meeting, 5.00 to 6.00 pm (CET) (in some countries 6:00 to 7:00 pm).
If you are interested to participate in this Open Talk, Join In! If the interest is high, we will be happy to add even more time slots.
On the homepage of ViMA danube (vima-danube.eu) you can find the Button “danube talk”, clicking on it, it will lead you to the Zoom channel.
We will start next Wednesday at 12pm (CET).
We hope to see you there and can’t wait for some great conversations!
Postcard Action for Democracy Day – Stand up for Europe and Democracy
We from ILEU e.V. want to raise awareness of our “Stand up for Europe and Democracy” campaign. As part of this campaign, people take a photo of themselves holding our “Stand up for Europe and Democracy” flyer. We hope this campaign will be as successful as our “Give a sign of friendship” campaign from the Bread Connects project, for which we collected over 3,000 contributions. Some of you may remember it. If you haven’t sent us a photo of yourself holding the flyer yet, we would be very grateful if you could do so. You can find the flyer and more information here: https://fit4democracy.eu/news/i-stand-for-europe-a-sign-of-unity/
Regarding this campaign we have prepared a postcard action for this year’s Democracy Day on September 15th. The Democracy Day is an international occasion to celebrate democratic values and raise awareness about their importance. That is why we invite you to join us in making democracy visible across borders. We would be very happy, if you could support us by printing out our postcard and sending it for the day of democracy to your friends, or sharing it with people from other countries.
If you have any questions, please feel free to write us: democracy@ileu.net
12th Danube Participation Day in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 4 November 2025.
In the name of Foster Europe Foundation, and on behalf of Priority Area 10 of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and the Danube Civil Society Forum (DCSF), we would like to invite you to the 12th Danube Participation Day, which will take place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 4 November 2025.
The Danube Participation Day is an annual event that gathers representatives from civil society organisations, local, regional and national public authorities, universities and research, and businesses from the 14 EUSDR partner countries, representatives from the EUSDR governance, as well as from European and international organisations for better development in the Danube Region. Thus, the Danube Participation Day is a forum to share good practices of participatory governance and projects, as well as for getting involved with decision-makers and experts.
As an official side event of the 14th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, this year’s Danube Participation Day will explore the theme “Local Voices, European Future – The Crucial Role of Communities in Shaping EU Policy and Driving Enlargement”. The event will highlight the contribution of local communities to the EU accession process, exploring how municipalities and local actors can support democratic development and promote good governance in enlargement countries.
Further event details and registration are available on the website of the Danube Participation Day Coordination Team.
It would also be a wonderful occasion to meet each other!
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact office@foster-europe.org.
Call for participartion: Become a Digital Come Together Scout (DCT-Scout)
What is the project about?
Since 2020 we successfully organize the international online meetings “Come Together”, as well as lectures and other online activities (see: https://danect.eu/) that help foster the exchange along the Danube and other European countries. Through cultural exchange, discussions on important social topics or joint online cooking sessions a real exchange takes place that brings us closer together. To support and expand this way of connecting, the Digital ComeTogether Scouts project trains motivated citizens to lead those activities themselves. Equipped with the right tools and skills, these scouts will help reach new audiences and strengthen the network, making cross-border dialogue and participation more accessible.
What’s a DCT-Scout?
DCT-Scouts are active young people, adults and seniors, who will work in small intergenerational teams and be trained by ILEU to prepare and host the online sessions using tools like Zoom and our international multilingual platform ViMA danube independently. As a DCT-Scout, you’ll bring people together, encourage discussions, and build bridges across
countries.
What You’ll Learn
Through a combination of online learning modules and a 3-day in-person training event, participants will gain practical skills in:
– Basic tech skills for hosting virtual events
– Event organization and moderation techniques
– Use of digital translation tools and engaging volunteer interpreters
– Outreach and communication strategies
– Interactive use of the ViMA danube platform
The detailed content of the course curriculum depends if you choose the technical oriented or the organization/content related focus of the training.
Why Participate?
– Get certified as a DCT-Scout
– Strengthen your digital and intercultural skills
– Join an active, friendly, and international network
– Make a meaningful impact by promoting citizen participation across the Danube region
Who Can Apply?
Interested individuals of all ages from the Danube region and other European cities who want to get involved in an international level. English is the project language, and participants should be familiar with using Zoom at a basic level. Organizations who want to support us in the implementation are welcome to contact us as well.
Timeline & Participation
– Online Training Modules & supporting ILEU with Online Sessions (Learning by doing): September–December 2025
– In-Person Workshop: Fall 2025 (dates and location to be announced)
– Independent planning and implementation of online ComeTogether events: January – March 2026
Now, we are inviting YOU to shape the future of our growing network!
If you are interested let us know and contact us at:
info@ileu.net | www.ileu.net
Project “Learning the use of AI to foster the communication between Danubians”
In Jul 2025, 19 students from German speaking schools from Odessa, Ukraine and Sofia, Bulgaria, meet in Ulm, Germany. During a three-day workshop they learnt how to make good interviews with experts about five selected sustainability goals and how to use new digital tolls, esp. AI, to make them lively and to translate the contend in other languages. The aim was to ensure that the content of the interviews can be discussed without language barriers.
Before the workshop, the students completeted an online course on interview techniques. In Ulm, after an introduction by an expert, they were divided into five mixed-nationality groups.
- Workshop day: Intorduction in ViMA danube and other useful digital tools.
- Workshop day: The students worked in their groups to conduct five-minute video-based interviews with experts in Ulm and share their findings. Experts came from politics, municipalities, business, and the social and cultural sectors.
- Workshop Day: Students learnt through an external expert video editing and applying AI tools like subtitles and avatars to make content accessible in English, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian. They used HeyGen, an AI tool for processing video sequences and generating multilingual subtitles.
They presented their AI-enhanced interviews and discussed the results with teachers and other students at Schubart Gymnasium and show them how AI translation can help share valuable insights on SDGs across the Danube region.
After summer break, students from Odessa and Sofia will present the project in their home schools. The interviews will be inserted in the ViMA danube platform and discussed in the discussion forum: “Implementing sustainability goals in daily life to promote democracy?”. This will ensure to continue the exchange beyond the project and the application of new digital tools.
Find the results here.
Key goals: raising awareness of sustainability goals and equipping students with AI skills to break language barriers and foster international dialogue.
Sponsor
“The project is sponsored by the DANUBE SMALL PROJECT FUND funded by: The Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Württemberg, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft (ARGE) Donauländer / State of Lower Austria, the Provincial Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina within the Republic of Serbia, the City of Regensburg, the Danube Office Ulm / Neu-Ulm and the Volksbank Ulm Biberach“
Stand up for Europe and democracy! – Give a sign of unity
Stand up for Europe and democracy! – Give a sign of unity
Sometimes the small, everyday things hold a special kind of power that we often overlook.
That’s what we discovered through our project “Bread Connects – Give a Sign of Friendship.” For those who aren’t familiar with it: we started from the idea that bread is far more than just a staple food – it stands as a simple yet strong and meaningful symbol of community that can be experienced across borders – you can learn more about it here.
We now want to build on this positive experience as part of our current project “Fit 4 Democracy” and launch a new participatory action.
“Stand up for Europe and democracy” is a simple yet powerful photo campaign through which we want to show that we are many – united as a community standing up for the values of a united, diverse, and peaceful Europe.
Everyone who shares this idea is invited to print out this flyer that we prepared, take a photo of themselves holding it – and send it to us.
See Examples here.
‘Action Bound – sustainability goals in our city’
Our project “Action Bound – Sustainability Goals in Our City” has been successfully completed.
Together with Local Agenda Ulm and students from the following schools:
- ODESA LYCEUM №90 (Odesa, Ukraine),
- Schubart Gymnasium (Ulm, Germany),
- and National Natural Science and Mathematical Gymnasium Acad. Lyubomir Chakalov (Sofia, Bulgaria),
we explored the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations in the context of our cities.
As part of the project, students from Odesa, Sofia, and Ulm worked together with adults to create a digital scavenger hunt based on the 17 SDGs. They developed interactive tasks linked to each of these goals and designed a unique city tour experience with the Actionbound App.
The program concluded with a joint meeting in Ulm at the end of July.
More about the Project here: Actiobound – Sustainability goals in my City
The project was funded by Baden-Württemberg Stiftung.