EUNITE
EU people unite for understanding the European Union better and for acting as European citizens!
Project period: november 2022 – october 2024
Coordinator: CESIE (Italy)
Partners of the project: Pistes Solidaires (France), Forum for Freedom in Education (Croatia), VIVES University of Applied Sciences (Belgium), Out of the Box International (Belgium), Regional Development Fund (Greece)
Website: https://eunite4citizens.eu
The context:
Although the 2019 European elections saw an increase in citizen participation – from 42.6% in 2014 to 50.6% in 2019 – the general trend since 1979 has been a steady decline; in some countries, turnout was very low, with only a third of citizens voting.
This is why the next European elections in 2024 will be an important moment to assess the active participation of European citizens in the European Union.
In recent years, the European Union has seen a wave of populist movements calling for greater national autonomy. Dissatisfaction with the general economic crisis, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and concerns about migration, environmental issues, border controls (see the Russian conflict) are just some of the themes being used for political opportunism through aggressive use of the media and misinformation.
Even though most citizens in the Member States are in favor of the EU, this development has led to a rise in extremism, political polarization and manifestations of anti-European sentiment: Brexit is just one example.
The objectives:
The overall aim of the EUNITE project is to increase citizens’ participation in the 2024 European elections, as well as citizens’ general interest in EU policies through the implementation of a series of workshops, debates, and meetings.
Through its activities, the project will bring citizens closer to the European institutions, improving their knowledge of EU opportunities and policies, and empowering citizens to participate actively in European democratic political life.
In addition, EUNITE will consider the role of misinformation in the lack of interest in European politics and how the economic, environmental, and other crises have affected democratic debate.
By promoting an exchange between EU citizens and bringing them together around activities related to EU policies, the project will stimulate reflection and debate among participants.
The results:
EUNITE plans to organize and run participatory workshops, training courses and debates on the following themes:
– EU For All – EU Institutions and Opportunities.
– Be Informed and Debate (Media literacy).
– We are EU – let’s EUNITE!
– Let’s participate – EU citizenship in practice.
At the end of each cycle of events, the partners will publish an info pack presenting the content that was discussed and explained for the public.