Democratic Resilience
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The difference that unites us: Young people in the dialogue against polarisation
August
21
2026
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Main 222, 935 84 Hokovce, Slovakia
Park Hotel Hokovce, Hlavná 222, 935 84 Hokovce, Slovensko
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09:00 AM - 13:00 PM CEST
“Difference that unites us: Young people in dialogue against polarisation" will create a safe space for open debate among young people on the polarisation of society, disinformation, stereotypes and growing mistrust among people with diverging views. Erasmus+ Youth Exchange participants from several European countries will discuss together how polarisation manifests itself in their daily lives, communities and online environments. They will look at the causes of social division and how to promote respectful dialogue, critical thinking, mutual understanding and the active participation of young people in democratic life. The discussion will be conducted in an interactive way in smaller groups. Participants will exchange experiences from their countries and formulate concrete proposals on how young people, youth organisations, schools, local communities and European institutions can contribute to reducing polarisation and strengthening democratic resilience. The resulting recommendations will be recorded and published on the European Citizens’ Participation Platform, contributing to a broader European debate on democratic resilience. The event will take place as part of the Erasmus+ International Youth Exchange "Difference that unites us".
Event report
On 21 August 2026, EUROPE DIRECT Banskobystrický región, in cooperation with the Rural Youth Parliament in Slovakia, organised the Local Citizens’ Panel “Diversity That Unites Us: Young People in Dialogue Against Polarisation” in Hokovce, Slovakia. The event formed part of an international Erasmus+ youth exchange and brought together 30 young participants from Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Latvia and Türkiye. The panel was facilitated by two organisers from EUROPE DIRECT Banskobystrický región.
Participants discussed societal polarisation, disinformation, social media, declining trust in institutions, corruption and the challenges of maintaining respectful dialogue between people with different opinions. Working in four groups, they identified key problems and developed four concrete recommendations:
introduce mandatory non-formal education on critical thinking and media literacy, particularly in rural schools;
simplify and digitalise public services to improve transparency and rebuild institutional trust;
strengthen integrity education, transparency and anti-corruption measures;
introduce democratic and civic education from early childhood while strengthening media literacy, pluralism and the independence of public-service media.
simplify and digitalise public services to improve transparency and rebuild institutional trust;
strengthen integrity education, transparency and anti-corruption measures;
introduce democratic and civic education from early childhood while strengthening media literacy, pluralism and the independence of public-service media.
Each recommendation was presented and discussed before participants voted. Members of a working group were not allowed to vote for their own proposal, and eligible voters could also abstain. The fourth recommendation received the highest level of support, with 14 votes in favour and 4 votes against.
The panel created a safe space for intercultural dialogue and enabled young people to compare experiences from their countries. Participants emphasised that reducing polarisation requires long-term democratic education, critical thinking, trustworthy public institutions, responsible media and meaningful opportunities for civic participation.
The recommendations were consolidated for publication on the Citizens’ Engagement Platform. Information about the event and its main results was also shared through the communication channels of EUROPE DIRECT Banskobystrický región. Participants were invited to complete the post-event impact survey.
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