Director of the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory (IFDT), Gazela Pudar Draško, participated in the 2nd National Congress of Local Cooperation in Warsaw. The congress brought together a diverse group of academics, civil society leaders, and policymakers to discuss innovative approaches to civic engagement and social development.
Gazela Pudar Draško contributed to a session titled “How do our neighbors do it? Best practices in citizen participation in Central and Eastern Europe,” which focused on successful models of citizen involvement in local governance. The session was moderated by Ieva Česnulaitytė from Democracy Next (Lithuania) and featured contributions from Eva Bordos (DemNet, Hungary), Simona Iliescu (Ramnicu Valcea, Romania), and Sanja Manceva (North Macedonia). She shared Serbia’s experiences with fostering democratic dialogue, particularly through the implementation of citizens’ assemblies and participatory practices, demonstrating the importance of deliberative tools for strengthening democratic resilience and engaging citizens.
The congress provided a platform for exchanging ideas on the role of citizen participation in addressing contemporary crises. Pudar Draško’s contribution underscored the value of cross-border cooperation in building stronger and more inclusive communities across Central and Eastern Europe.