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Inclusive Democratic Engagement and Language Technologies in Europe
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From Research to Real‑World Impact: Why European Cultural Exchange Inspires My Work
Please share a short biography My name is Fabienne Trotte, I am Head of Research, Innovation and Training at Relais Culture Europe, the French Creative Europe Desk. Trained in cultural management and geopolitics, I have developed expertise in European cultural cooperation and public policies. Based in Paris, I have been supporting cultural organisations in designing European projects since the early 2000s. I have worked on EU research and innovation projects such as the Horiz
Laura Gavrilut
Jan 144 min read


Generative AI and Multilingual Digital Democracies
Today, digital democracy is becoming an important complement – and some would say even an alternative – to offline forms of political participation. Increasingly more people use social media as a news source, debates regularly unfold in comment sections, and protests often start in encrypted chats. The digitalization of public life has upended traditional ways of political engagement. Digital platforms have brought clear democratic advantages: nowadays, information is readily
Laura Gavrilut
Jan 55 min read


IDEAL Delivered a Shared Keynote at the IMMER-CV Closing Conference on Innovation and Human-Digital Interaction
The IDEAL project added real value to the conversation on digital transformation and collaborative innovation during the Erasmus+ IMMER-CV Final Event. Organized by INNOPAC in Valencia and streamed online, the hybrid conference marked the successful conclusion of IMMER-CV’s 18-month mission to deliver a groundbreaking training curriculum on immersive technologies for the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). Prof. Charalampos Alexopoulos, representing the IDEAL consortium fr
Laura Gavrilut
Dec 18, 20251 min read


What Makes Text Simple?
One of the main goals of the IDEAL project is to make the democratic collaboration more accessible to various communities, including those that may have difficulties using the dominant language of the country they reside in. That is why we rely on language technology of text simplification . It aims to build automatic tools that transform a given text piece -- e.g. a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole document -- into a variant that maintains the meaning of the original, but
Laura Gavrilut
Dec 8, 20252 min read


Key Takeaways from the Close to You Workshop
IDEAL and MultiPoD organised and online session “ Voices without borders: Empowering citizens to shape tomorrow ” , during the EURegionsWeek Close to You series of events. IDEAL and MultiPoD are European projects designed to strengthen participatory democracy by combining social science expertise with innovative, ethical-by-design AI technologies. Their mission is to break the barriers that prevent millions of citizens from engaging in deliberation and decision-making proce
Laura Gavrilut
Dec 5, 20252 min read


IDEAL Consortium Teams up with Independo for Greater Inclusion
On 27th November, the IDEAL consortium took an important step towards inclusivity by meeting with Independo , a small but innovative startup dedicated to integrating people with intellectual disabilities into the digital world, therefore helping them be independent. While many large organizations have taken steps in accessibility, for example, Apple’s strong support for blind users, intellectual disabilities often remain ignored. Independo is determined to change this. Their
Laura Gavrilut
Dec 4, 20251 min read


Play Bold, Learn Deep, Stay True
Please share a short biography I am Assistant Professor at the Institute for Public Management and Governance, WU Vienna University for Economics and Business. With a background in political science, economics and psychology, I am an experienced academic dedicated to exploring how Artificial Intelligence shapes, and is in turn shaped by, the individual actors and groups who design, deploy, and utilise these technologies. Most especially, I consider how advanced technologies c
Laura Gavrilut
Nov 17, 20254 min read


IDEAL Empowers Austria's Citizens
In the first half of 2025, two of the IDEAL project partners, WU Vienna University of Economics & Business and Caritas Vienna , collaborated for hosting group discussions with beneficiaries from diverse backgrounds in Vienna and Lower Austria. The meetings formed an important part of the project’s groundwork to explore what people living in Austria need to participate more in democratic life. As part of Caritas Vienna “Zusammenreden 2.0” (“Talking together 2.0) meetup series
Laura Gavrilut
Nov 17, 20253 min read


No Citizen Left Behind: Rethinking Participation Across Borders
Deliberation and political participation are fundamental rights that are out of reach for many vulnerable or marginalised groups....
Laura Gavrilut
Oct 6, 20251 min read


Digital Democracy for All: Insights from Athens
As part of the Horizon IDEAL project, a focus group was held in Athens at the Centro Community Center of IASIS on Thursday, the 26th of...
Laura Gavrilut
Jul 16, 20251 min read


Bridging the Civic Gap: What We Learned from Two IDEAL Project Workshops in Brussels
On May 21st, 2025, Leaders International hosted two workshops in Brussels as part of the Horizon Europe-funded IDEAL Project , which is...
Laura Gavrilut
Jul 9, 20252 min read


Shaping the Future of Digital Democracy: Ethics, Inclusion, and Civic Engagement
In the rapidly growing digital world of today, we bear witness to the fast-paced development of the digital dimension of the public space...
Laura Gavrilut
Jun 6, 20252 min read


Shaping Democracy: Why Your Voice Matters in the IDEAL Survey
Democracy is more than just casting a vote on election day. A truly effective democracy thrives when people engage in public debates, use...
Laura Gavrilut
May 28, 20251 min read


Empowering Every Voice: The IDEAL Project's Mission for Inclusive Democracy
Democracy in Europe is undergoing a dynamic transformation as nations and organizations work together to address challenges and reinforce...
IDEAL
Apr 29, 20252 min read


Breaking Language Barriers: The Need for Cross-Cultural and Cross-Language Debate in European Democracy
In a Europe defined by its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, democracy must be as inclusive as its people. With 24 official...
IDEAL
Jan 30, 20253 min read


PRESS RELEASE: IDEAL Project Launches in Athens: Breaking Language Barriers to Strengthen Democracy Across Borders
PRESS Release about the launch of a new innovation initiative aiming to create cross-border, cross-culture democratic understanding
IDEAL
Jan 30, 20252 min read
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