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:
Postcard Action on Democracy Day – Stand up for Europe and Democracy
A Call for Participation from the Fit 4 Democracy Project We from ILEU e.V. want to raise awareness of our “Stand up for Europe and Democracy” campaign. As part of this campaign, people take a photo of themselves holding our “Stand up for Europe and Democracy” flyer. We hope this campaign will be as successful as our “Give a sign of friendship” campaign from the Bread Connects project, for which we collected over 3,000 contributions. Some of you may remember it. If you haven’t sent us a photo of yourself holding the flyer yet, we would be very grateful if you could do so. You can find the flyer and more information here: https://fit4democracy.eu/news/i-stand-for-europe-a-sign-of-unity/ Regarding this campaign we have prepared a postcard action for this year’s Democracy Day on September 15th. The Democracy Day is an international occasion to celebrate democratic values and raise awareness about their importance. That is why we invite you to join us in making democracy visible across borders. We would be very happy, if you could support us by printing out our postcard and sending it for the day of democracy to your friends, or sharing it with people from other countries. Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦 Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Austria 🇦🇹 A5 A4 A5 A4 A5 A4 Croatia 🇭🇷 Czechia 🇨🇿 France 🇫🇷 A5 A4 A5 A4 A5 A4 Germany 🇩🇪 Hungary 🇭🇺 Italy 🇮🇹 A5 A4 A5 A4 A5 A4 Poland 🇵🇱 Romania 🇷🇴 Serbia 🇷🇸 A5 A4 A5 A4 A5 A4 Slovakia 🇸🇰 Spain 🇪🇸 Sweden 🇸🇪 A5 A4 A5 A4 A5 A4 Ukraine 🇺🇦 United Kingdom 🇬🇧 – A5 A4 A5 A4 Dont forget to check out our Photocampaign
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!
Successful Kick-Off for ELEVATE Project in Sevnica, Slovenia
On May 6–7, 2025, the new EU-funded ELEVATE project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting in Sevnica, Slovenia. Supported by the Interreg Danube Programme, the three-year project brings together 17 project partners and 13 strategic associated partners from across the Danube Region — including ILEU e.V. from Ulm, Germany. ELEVATE aims to strengthen collaboration among public, civil, and private sectors to develop inclusive governance models. A key focus is on engaging older people and persons with disabilities in shaping resilient and inclusive local communities. Through a co-design process, pilot regions will test new approaches to improve access to services and foster social cohesion. The meeting included partner presentations, planning workshops, and a study visit to local best-practice initiatives, such as the intergenerational center Posavje+ and the “Sopotniki” transportation program for elderly citizens. These inspiring examples set the tone for collaboration and learning throughout the project’s duration. Press release english Pressemitteilung deutsch More information about the project: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate
Join our photocampaign “Stand up for Europe and Democracy” – A Sign of Unity
A Call for Participation in frame of the Fit 4 Democracy Project Welcome to our project! With our Photo campaign “I stand up for Europe and democracy”, which started on September 15, we want to bring people together, that are willing to stand up for the values of a united, diverse, and peaceful Europe. It`s easy to take part! Just print out our postcard, take a photo of yourself alone, or with others holding the flyer and send it to democracy@ileu.net ! You can send your photo in portrait or landscape format, both are fine! We will collect a digital mosaic with the photos, as we did in the project “Bread Connects – Give a Sign of Friendship”, which you can see here. By sending your Photo to democracy@ileu.net, you authorise us to put the photo with your name(s) on this Website along with other contributions from people from Germany and many other countries. If other people are visible in your photo, you are responsible to make sure that they also agree to the terms and conditions before sending the photo to us. This flyer is available in different languages, which you can find here. Here are a few examples: Together we will collect as many photos as possible that will become part of a visual mosaic – symbol of democratic spirit, solidarity, and shared European values. The results will be displayed online on our websites and on Social Media as well as presented at events of our ongoing Fit 4 Democracy project. Let’s make visible how many people across Europe stand for peace, participation and community. We are looking forward to your participation!
Fit4Democracy – Call for Participation: Best Practice Activities for Democracy
Dear colleagues and friends from the Danube region and other European countries, as part of the Fit4Democracy project, we are creating a so called “toolbox”: We will collect simple, everyday activities that help people participate in democracy. These activities should be easy to do, don’t require much time or money, and connect to participatory democracy. We are looking for successful practice examples you have been a part of from different countries that contribute to strengthening democracy. These examples should serve as inspiration to implement in your own context and to encourage the development of new ideas. The primary target group is not administrative bodies, political or business representatives, professional associations, but the citizens themselves (although they may act as supporting local partners in many initiatives)! Many activities in this area have already been implemented to promote democracy, but there are many others that are well suited for this context and not yet on our list – we are looking for them! We therefore invite you to support us with your own ideas – reflect, what example you know and what you could contribute to our toolbox. You can then submit these ideas you would like to share with others via an online form with a suitable picture. To submit we kindly ask you the fill out the following form: https://www.umfrageonline.com/c/vkrc7v94 The submissions will be checked by ILEU to ensure that they meet the requirements (clear reference to the topic of participatory democracy, easy to do, don’t require much time or money). We will then enter the examples on our project website (to get inspired of what could be submitted you can also have a look at the examples we have already uploaded): https://toolbox.fit4democracy.eu/method/. The goal is to gather as many best practice examples as possible which can be accessed by all interested people. If you have questions / are unsure if your example fits you can contact us before filling out the form: democracy@ileu.net . If you would like to submit multiple examples, please fill out a new form for each one. Enclosed we send you the form as a pdf so you can have a look at what information is required before you start to fill out the form. The form is available in different languages (Note: these are automatic translations, if anything is unclear, please let us know) but if possible, please fill out the form in English. Thank you very much for your support! All the best in the name of the ILEU team
Cycling as a form of protest
12 Days. 1,400 Kilometers. 80 Serbian Students Take a Stand for Freedom, Democracy, and the Rule of Law From April 3 to 15, 2025, around 80 Serbian students are cycling from Novi Sad to Strasbourg. Last night, on April 12, at 9 PM, they arrived in Ulm. Their journey, which began 10 days ago in Belgrade, is more than just a bike ride — it is a symbolic act of protest and remembrance. Upon reaching Strasbourg, home of the European Parliament, the students aim to draw attention to the importance of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as to honor the memory of the 16 victims who tragically lost their lives on November 1, 2024, when the canopy of Novi Sad’s train station collapsed. The group is determined to speak out against corruption and injustice in Serbia, and to advocate for democratic values. On their website, they write:“We, the students of Serbia, did not embark on this journey on a whim. We did it because we feel we have no other choice. This is not just a bike ride – it is a path of hope, a form of resistance, and a voice for those who have been silenced. …We are not asking for much – only the right to live without fear, censorship, or violence.”https://de.turadostrazbura.rs/ Their journey can be followed live on their website via GPS tracking. The group arrived in Ulm with a three-hour delay but was warmly welcomed at Münsterplatz by a large crowd of Serbians of all ages living in the region of Ulm/Neu-Ulm. The young cyclists — both men and women — were officially greeted by local authorities: by Martin Bendel, First Mayor of the City of Ulm; Ralph Seiffert, Social Affairs Mayor of Neu-Ulm; and Sebastian Rihm, Director of the Danube Office. All three expressed sincere thanks for the students’ dedication and courage in standing up for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Reported by Carmen Stadelhofer
Democracy workshop in Bad Urach from 5-6 April 2025
From April 4 to 6, 2025, the seminar “Experiencing Democracy” took place at Haus auf der Alb. Around 20 young and older participants from Germany and Ukraine explored democratic values through creative activities. Role-plays, group work, and shared singing fostered a strong sense of community. Many thanks to lpb for their great organization! Read more here Seminar report Impressions from the workshop