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Description
The general conclusion from the project background analysis developed by all the project Partners seems to be that citizens of the European Union (EU) member countries– in general: do appreciate the membership of their countries in EU, are aware of the benefits of being a member, have expectations concerning member countries cooperation at solving common problems (for ex. the financial crisis, youth unemployment, ageing of the society related challenges etc.).
Still – for some reasons – most of the EU citizens do not engage themselves in the process of shaping the EU politics. The question is “ why”? Because they do not feel the need to be involved? Would like to be involved, but don’t know how they could do that? Are not aware of the existing direct democracy tools? Are aware #of the tools but don’t know how to use them? Or think there’s no use to use them since the tools don’t work?
The main aim of the project is to increase the level of engagement and democratic participation of the European Union citizens in the democratic life of the European Union being aware of the role they can have in shaping the EUs’ policies and thus the future of Europe shaping.
Detailed aims
- Providing an European public space where the issues related to low participation in the democratic life of the EU and the ways of stimulating the active participation could be discussed and debated (by open on-line research, 4 National and 1 International Citizens Forums).
- Stimulating the democratic participation of the citizens who are not yet involved in the EU policies shaping by reaching them through information campaign and qualified environments of the active civil society organisations.
- Contributing to strengthening and empowering democracy in the European Union through developing possible solutions for the major problems associated with low participation in the democratic life of EU and disseminating them.