Duration of the Project

October 2022 – October 2024

Partners

DOTS Foundation for an Open Society (Latvia)
Open Estonia Foundation (Estonia)

Coordinator

Open Lithuania Foundation

As we are stepping into the post-COVID-19 era, we are to deal with new political and societal realities. The pandemic highlighted persistent problems in the region, such as poorly functioning institutions and weak political culture. Countless top-down restrictive measures by national and EU decision makers resulted in diminished appreciation for democracy and fundamental rights in partner countries. Significant increase in popular support for military rule, appetite for strongman leadership, and support for populists – those are some of the changes observed in the societies of the Baltic states.

This project will elevate public debates on challenging issues, and will identify practical solutions for tackling COVID-19 effects on the quality of democracy and enjoyment of human rights. Project‘s smooth implementation will increase citizens‘ awareness about the EU rights and values, and will contribute to the culture of democratic debate in partner countries.

Project goals

  • To inform the public and policymakers about Covid-19 impact with regards to appreciation for
    democracy, democratic debate and fundamental rights in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.
  • To stimulate democracy-friendly culture, organizing debates on acute societal issues involving
    citizens from different walks of life.
  • To increase interest in EU level politics by connecting local and national issues to the future of
    the EU and raise awareness of the inter-linkages.
  • To bring citizens, national and EU policy-makers closer together.
  • To increase public awareness on the importance of civic and political participation in national
    and EP elections and encourage MEPs candidate to further promote the respect of human rights
    and democratic culture in the Baltics and in the EU

Project activities

  • Expert insights: democracy and human rights in the face of crises

Renginio aprašymo lapas

Event description sheet

  • Discussion festival “BŪTENT”

Event description sheet

OPEN CITY: what did the youth of Klaipeda teach us?
On December 7, 2023, we spent 7 December 2023 with more than 50 young people in Klaipeda: we talked about democracy, civic participation, labeling, explained how to isolate disinformation, how to mobilize communities, how national identity is constructed. We’ve seen a lot of burning eyes and a lot of engagement.
What did we find out?
👉Only 4 percent. Klaipeda youth vote in elections!
👉BUT there are active young people everywhere who really CARE ABOUT human rights and democracy.
👉Young people have a LOT of ideas on what should be improved in Klaipeda!
👉In Klaipeda, there are few (TOO few) people and organizations talking about the topics of human rights, democracy, sexuality education. There are no organizations – there is no public debate either.
👉And there is a great lack of open debate of this kind about democracy, about the challenges in today’s world. Such events and discussions would unambiguously help to reduce the divisions in society.
.

Event description sheet

  • OMNIBUS survey

Event description sheet

  • FOCUS group

Event description sheet

Covidemocracy in Baltics: marginalisations of opinions

  • Pre-election debates | European Parliament

Event description sheet

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.