On 25 June 2025, the LISTEN project hosted its first transnational online event, “We LISTEN, We BUILD”, bringing together 147 participants from across Europe and beyond. Organised by Oriel APS (Italy) with support from all LISTEN partners, the event created a unique space for mutual learning, dialogue, and co-creation.
Held in English with live interpretation in Greek, Italian, Portuguese, and Bulgarian, the event allowed a diverse group of community members, NGOs, youth workers, activists, and civil society representatives to connect across borders. Participants came from eight countries (including Greece, Portugal, Bulgaria, Italy, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, and Cyprus), making the exchange truly international.
The programme featured:
✅Presentations of national research findings on civic engagement in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Bulgaria.
✅Breakout sessions in national languages, where participants reflected on challenges and co-created local solutions.
✅A plenary exchange, sharing insights from all groups to identify shared priorities.
✅A follow-up meeting with Local Advisory Boards and project partners to discuss next steps.
💡Key themes included:
- The need for sustainable funding and stronger organisational capacities.
- Challenges around youth engagement, digitalisation, and inclusion of marginalised groups.
- Recognition of burnout risks among volunteers and staff, and the importance of wellbeing.
- The value of listening, trust-building, and creative participatory methods in fostering meaningful civic engagement.
👉You can read more read more here!