A new democratic paradigm is gaining momentum in Central and Eastern Europe. The Spring School on Climate Citizens’ Assemblies brought together civil servants and professionals in Budapest for a 2-day training. It marked a step towards integrating democratic innovation to address the climate crisis in the region. Thirty-five participants from 17 countries acquired the skills and knowledge to build successful deliberative processes.

International and local experts created an environment for participants to share their struggles, review case studies, and have a collective learning experience. The school curriculum involves an initiation into the essential elements of organizing a Citizens’ Assemblies through the exploration of specific cases. A blend of presentations and group work gave participants information on cases from Budapest to Scotland. In addition, parallel thematic sessions allowed to address region-specific needs. Fruitful conversations and collective thinking evolved around organizing assemblies in challenging political contexts, the involvement of children and youth in assemblies, and effective communication and public engagement approaches

This event was organised in partnership with KNOCA, the Knowledge Network Climate Assemblies, DemNet, and the European Climate Foundation.