School of Democracy:  20 to 22 March, 2019

 

Over the last four years, hundreds of young people from across Europe and beyond have taken part in the S&D Group’s School of Democracy. The idea was to bring together politicians, academics, civil society, to debate with the next generation of progressive leaders and develop new ideas for the future of Europe and the world.

 

This year we are bringing together graduates from the previous four editions of the School of Democracy to meet and debate in Brussels from 20 to 22 March 2019. The conference is part of a larger European week for democracy, with events and debates taking place across Brussels and beyond. It is time for people who believe in European to stand up and push back against the nationalists and populists that have dominated the debate in recent years.

 

You will have the chance to meet and discuss with political and intellectual leaders such as Frans Timmermans, the Hungarian philosopher Agnes Heller, French politician Pascal Lamy, Jan Zielonka from Oxford University, Former Danish PM Poul Nyrup  Rasmussen, Paul Magnette and many others. As with previous editions the focus is on interactive workshops designed to bring forward new approaches to the problems Europe faces.

 

The event comes at a vital time for Europe, two months ahead of crucial European elections and ahead of a member state leaving for the first time (probably). For too long the narrative has been dominated by those who want to destroy Europe. The EU is certainly not perfect but it remains the best way we have found to work collectively as 28 different countries. We now need to come forward with the ideas and vision to improve Europe and make sure it is working for all its citizens.