• 2025-06-19
• |  Brussels

Local Democracy Ensures that the Voices of Citizens and the Needs of the Community are Heard

Annual Conference of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) 2025.

The President of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) and Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), Nataša Vučković, participated in the Annual Conference of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), held on June 19, 2025, in Brussels.

The conference brought together key actors from across Europe to exchange views on the state of democracy and strategies for its renewal. Discussions covered the future of democracy, new approaches in EU policy, international funding, the role of philanthropy, civil society, civic protests, and more.

Speaking on the panel titled “From Crisis to Resilience: Reimagining Democracy Support”, Nataša Vučković emphasized that local democracy offers a vital space for the resilience of civil society.

Local democracy is the place where citizens’ voices can shape inclusive policies, and where flexibility allows democratic practices to adapt to the diverse needs of the community, Vučković stated.

The discussion highlighted the importance of building alliances, protecting civic space, investing in long-term resilience, as well as the power of collective action and cross-sector dialogue in defending democratic values and empowering local actors.

Source: EPD/ALDA/CDF

Photo: EPD/ALDA

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