Online Workshop: “Training on Video Creation” with David Fichtner, Thursday, 20.11.25 and Tuesday, 25.11.25, 6 pm (CET)
We are happy to invite you to our online qualification workshop “Training on Video Creation” with David Fichtner over Zoom. This two-part training is for everyone interested in video editing, storytelling, and exploring how AI can support the creative process. The first online workshop will be on Thursday, 20 Nov. 25 at 6 pm (CET) and focuses on basic knowledge and storytelling. The second online workshop will be on Tuesday, 25 Nov. 25 at 6 pm (CET) and builds upon the first workshop. It will address questions that may arise after the first workshop and introduce advanced techniques as well as the use of AI tools to enhance and simplify video creation. The qualification workshop will be held in English, with possible translation into German, Bulgarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, and Serbian. You can register for the qualification workshop until 19 November 2025 through our contact form: https://forms.gle/Y3jVo6PTVfHvETmf6 You will get the Zoomlink to the online workshop after your registration.
DEMOCRACY2GO: Fit4Democracy Video Competition
How to live democracy and win prizes?!We’re looking for creative short videos (max. 3 minutes) that show how people put democratic values into practice, in schools, communities, workplaces, or everyday life. It can be your own story or a story that inspired you. The best videos will be rewarded with prizes worth 200€, 150€ and 100€ and will be presented at the websites of ILEU e.V. and at the Danube festival in July 2026. Who can join?Interested individuals of all ages from the Danube region and other European cities who want to get involved in an international level. School classes, youth groups, senior initiatives, mixed groups young and old, and all who are engaged in democratic action are welcome to participate as well. Groups: For initiatives or collectives (e.g., school classes, youth groups, friend groups) that demonstrate strongteamwork and community impact.Individuals: For personal contributions that show originality, motivation, and commitment to democratic values.Special “Young & Old”: For intergenerational projects that, connect different age groups in democratic action. Final Submission: Deadline for video submission December 18, 2025 How to participate: – Presentation of experiences and impact of yourself or your group in promoting democratic values.– Presentation of the activities of an existing group that is engaged with democracy-related topics.– Design, implementation, and presentation of a concrete action that demonstrates democratic participation inpractice.– Interviews with people who are active in the field of democracy, sharing their ideas and perspectives. As inspiration, you can use the methods and examples from our Fit4Democracy Toolbox, which you can find here:https://toolbox.fit4democracy.eu/method/ You can use your native language in the video, but please add English subtitles. Evaluation & PrizesA jury will review all submissions and select the best videos. The winner will be announced on January 15. 2026. The prizes will be worth 200, 150 and 100 euros.
ELEVATE project holds 2nd partner meeting and study visit in Banská Bystrica, 21.–22. October 2025, Slovakia
Strengthening Cooperation and Inclusive Territorial Development Across the Danube Region Project partners of the ELEVATE project gathered on 21–22 October 2025 in Banská Bystrica – Slovakia, for the 2nd partners’ meeting, hosted by the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region (BBSK). The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration, share good practices among project partners and advance the development of inclusive territorial governance models across the Danube Region. Mr. Ján Michalský from the Department of Social Affairs and Social Policies of BBSK warmly welcomed all participants. Ms. Anita Molka, representing the Lead Partner, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia (DCHS), provided an overview of the two-day programme and highlighted its objectives. The meeting opened with a lecture by Ms. Carmen Stadelhofer from ILEU, on “Aging Has Many Faces.” She discussed the diversity of aging processes, life situations and social contexts, emphasizing the role of education, new media, volunteering and networking structures in promoting active aging. She also highlighted how community cooperation between civil society, private sector and individuals can create age-friendly environments that foster social participation. In the morning session, horizontal partners Urbasofia, ISG Amabilis, and ZICER shared examples to enhance partners’ knowledge and cooperation for inclusive territorial development. Ms. Irina Panait underlined the importance of strong financial management. Ms. Damjana Pangerčič presented Kind Life from Slovenia, which supports mental health and social inclusion of older adults and people with dementia through education, intergenerational activities, and digital campaigns, funded by sponsorships and donations. Ms. Nora Krstić introduced Accessible Zagreb, a digital platform improving urban accessibility and planning through co-creation and cross-sector collaboration, serving as a model for other cities. Later in the morning, all 12 pilot partners showcased how good practices from other project partners inspired their pilot idea. This session, moderated by Mr. Milan Zbořil, focused on regional and local needs, mutual learning and strengthening institutional cooperation. Ms. Anamarija Fortuna from DCHS led a brainstorming session to set goals for 2026–2028 mainstreaming activities. Partners will promote the ELEVATE model through various events and two International Forums, fostering inclusive co-creation under the motto “Nothing about us without us.” The afternoon sessions included a training and capacity-building workshop on inclusive territorial development, moderated by Ms. Irina Panait from Urbasofia. Mr. Milan Zbořil presented the good practice of participatory planning of social services at the micro-regional level. Following partners activity in a workshop on financial model development, focusing on stakeholder mapping and designing robust financial mechanisms for sustainable initiatives. The meeting concluded with a Steering Committee. The second day was dedicated to study visit. We visited the city of Kremnica, which offered valuable insights into how local communities in Banska Bystrica Region address demographic challenges and improve the quality of life for their residents. The visit began at the Kremnica Municipal Office, where partners were welcomed by Mr. Pavel Kravec, Mayor of Trnava Hora. He presented the Kremnica Microregion (around 10,000 residents) and its main challenges—ageing population, youth migration, and support for vulnerable groups. He noted that Kremnica is among the first in the region to address these issues innovatively. A key part of the visit was the Centre of Integrated Social and Health Care (CISZS), launched in April 2024 to improve long-term care for older adults in the Banská Bystrica Region. As a pilot model, it integrates social and health services under one structure to ensure accessible, high-quality care that helps seniors and vulnerable groups stay independent. The CISZS team provides health monitoring, medication management, social support, and transport assistance. Currently active in the region, the model is being promoted for national rollout. Partners were also welcomed by Mr. Martin Novodomec, Mayor of Kremnica, who presented the city’s rich cultural and historical heritage. After the presentations, we visited the Radmera Centre, where staff guided us through its four facilities and shared their progress despite early funding challenges. Founded in 2018 with the purchase of a family home, the centre grew through successive funding, including a €3 million grant in 2021, enabling reconstruction and expansion. It now offers daily activities for older adults and people with disabilities and accommodation for 123 clients. The CISZS initiative operates on strong values of human rights, dignity, and personal development. It empowers clients to build confidence, explore talents, and foster social inclusion, showing how integrated care can transform communities and support ageing and vulnerable groups. The ELEVATE project promotes collaboration across public, civil, and private sectors to build inclusive governance in the Danube Region, engaging older adults and people with disabilities. The two-day meeting reinforced goals of inclusive territorial development, mutual learning, and strengthening cooperation to improve pilot ideas and create a scalable ELEVATE model. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELEVATE PROJECT: Anita Molka, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia, Slovenia Lead Partner Kidričeva cesta 1, Litija 1270, Slovenia e-mail: anita.molka@razvoj.si, telephone: +386 1 8962 710 Jasna Presečki, Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia, Slovenia Coordinator of Communication Activities Kidričeva 1, 1270 Litija, Slovenia e-mail: jasna.presecki@razvoj.si, telephone: +386 1 8962 713 List of partners in ELEVATE project: More information about the ELEVATE project: More information about the Interreg Interreg Danube Region:
Lets Talk! Invitation Danube Zoom Talk – Connect with partners across Europe!
Dear collegues and friends from the Danube Region and other European countries We got several feedbacks expressing that many of you would like to have more contacts with partners involved in our activities, the possibility to connect and chat with others easily and to find out more in common. That’s why we created the online Danube Talk on ViMA Danube by Zoom! Within you can meet and exchange ideas with others coming in, or you make an appointment with someone you like to speak. Right now, we have two time slots available: At lunchtime Wednesday, 12.00 to 2.00 pm (CET) (in some countries 1.00 to 3.00 pm) and Friday an after work meeting, 5.00 to 6.00 pm (CET) (in some countries 6:00 to 7:00 pm). If you are interested to participate in this Open Talk, Join In! If the interest is high, we will be happy to add even more time slots. On the homepage of ViMA danube (vima-danube.eu) you can find the Button “danube talk”, clicking on it, it will lead you to the Zoom channel. We will start next Wednesday at 12pm (CET). We hope to see you there and can’t wait for some great conversations!
98. Come together Session 22.06.25
Dear colleagues and friends from the Danube region and other European countries We cordially invite you to the 98th international session by Videoconferencing: Come together! Connecting people by culture! Time and date: Sunday, 22.06.2025, 6:30 p.m. (CET), in some of your countries 7:30 p.m., in other ones 5:30 p.m. This session will be moderated by Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU e.V.) and Emiliya Velikova Language: The event will be held in English, with translation into Bulgarian, Romanian and German if needed. For organizational reasons, we kindly ask you to confirm your participation and let us know if you require translation. Access to the session: Danube Networkers invite: Come Together – Connecting people by culture! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88667915552?pwd=RGxOMnRkd0lXQWpsTm83bHZoVmJCZz09 Meeting-ID: 886 6791 5552 Kenncode: 569068
Online Lecture with Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel, “Democracy as Self-Government – Democratic Innovations by and with Citizens”
The event will be held in English, with translation into Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian and German if needed. For organizational reasons, we kindly ask you to confirm your participation and let us know if you require translation. Invitation: Lecture on “Democracy as Self-Government” with Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel – 15 July, 6:00 p.m. (CET) Dear colleagues and friends from the Danube Region and other European countries, We warmly invite you to our next online event in the frame of the “Fit4Democracy” project: “Democracy as Self-Government – Democratic Innovations by and with Citizens” with Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel, Institute for Political Science, Goethe University Frankfurt on Monday, 15 July 2025, at 6:00 p.m. (CET) via Zoom. Starting from the premise that the future of democracy needs to be reimagined, in this lecture, Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel will present an innovative approach that places citizens at the center of democratic processes. She argues that people should decide for themselves how they want to be governed (Read more here). The talk will be supported by theoretical foundations, empirical insights, and examples from other countries. Additionally, Prof. Geißel will present and discuss ideas for procedures and practices that empower citizens and communities to shape their own democratic visions. Prof. Dr. Geißel’s ideas on democratic innovations and citizen participation align well with our project, as they support the development of new, citizen-centered democratic approaches beyond traditional structures. We are therefore very happy to welcome her as a speaker. You can join the meeting via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88591526817?pwd=USDPgvYSjeeszKYqMCIFf3XoaHU4Zh.1 Meeting-ID: 885 9152 6817Kenncode: 752799 The event will be held in English, with translation into Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian and German if needed. For organizational reasons, we kindly ask you to confirm your participation and let us know if you require translation. For all questions and suggestions, feel free to reach out to us anytime at: democracy@ileu.net We look forward to your participation and to an inspiring discussion! Warm regards, on behalf of the ILEU team