In the end of april, the Austrian workshop for the EU-funded YouthDecide 2040 project took place in Vienna. Led by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, with core support from the European Democracy Youth Network, committed young adults came together to develop their visions for the democracy of the future.
In a lively and imaginative working atmosphere, the participants jointly developed scenarios for democracy in Europe in the year 2040. The workshop was part of a Europe-wide process being carried out in a total of 19 countries, actively involving young people aged 18 to 35 in shaping democratic perspectives for the future.
Key topics: Inclusion, sustainability and innovation
The discussions in Vienna highlighted the priorities young people in Austria have set for the future. Particular focus was placed on:
- more inclusion of people with disabilities, those from migrant backgrounds and under-represented groups
- consistent climate protection measures and sustainability
- the expansion of education systems
- the use of artificial intelligence to address societal challenges
- structural changes within the EU institutions
Based on these and other ideas, concrete measures and coherent future scenarios were developed.
From the national workshop to a Europe-wide conversation
Along with the results of the Copenhagen workshop also organised by AIT, the scenarios developed during the national workshops will now be reviewed and consolidated by the project team. In the next step, the key elements of future visions that participants found compelling; key unresolved tensions; and other discussion topics will be shared on a custom-built platform by project partner Make.org. The “Online Conversation Space” will be a chance for people from across Europe to review, discuss, and select the most compelling aspects of futures of democracy with an eye to 2040.
This will be followed by a Transnational Assembly, where selected participants will work with experts to further develop the final scenarios.
A playbook for Europe’s politics of tomorrow
The aim of the entire process is to produce a strategic ‘playbook’ for European decision-makers. The playbook is intended to translate the perspectives and expectations of young people into concrete policy measures, thereby making a lasting contribution to the further development of democracy in Europe.
Stay tuned for the launch of the online space to add your voice to the conversation, coming late Autumn 2026.