Third European Thinking Lab Summit
The Thinking Labs finalised their policy recommendations in Rome
On 13-15 October 2017, DIALOGUE ON EUROPE contributors from eight European countries met in Rome for the third and last European Thinking Lab Summit. This three-day meeting gave them the opportunity to further discuss the four main topics of the project, namely Migration & Integration, Populism, Social Cohesion and Sustainable Growth, and to finalise their policy recommendations for European decision-makers through various work and exchange sessions. (more…)
Second European Thinking Lab Summit
Successful second meeting of #DialogueOnEurope Contributors in Paris
Following up on the first European Thinking Lab Summit, which took place in Lisbon in November of last year, and only one month after the last #EuropeanTownHall meeting in London, the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Contributors gathered again on 24-26 March in Paris for the Second Thinking Lab Summit, hosted by Das Progressive Zentrum in cooperation with our French partner EuropaNova.
Second European Thinking Lab Summit in Paris
Orange Magazine's coverage of the Paris summit
The 2nd European Thinking Lab summit took place in Paris from March 24-26, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Orange Magazine, a project by the European Youth Press, covered the conference with various articles.
First European Thinking Lab Summit
Working Meeting of the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Contributors in Lisbon
Four months after the successful kick-off of the Thinking Labs in Berlin, the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Contributors met again on 25-27 November in Lisbon during the First Thinking Lab Summit hosted by Das Progressive Zentrum together with our Portuguese partner, the Institute of Public Policy.
Voices from the Thinking Lab on Populism
An interview with Orange Magazine
During the second Thinking Lab Summit in Paris, Orange Magazine spoke with Elena García Mañes and Filipe Santos Henrique. They talked about their stances on Populism in Europe.
Social Cohesion at Paris Thinking Lab Summit
Opinions on Social Cohesion in the #DialogueOnEuropeDuring the Second Thinking Lab Summit in Paris, Orange Magazine spoke with Paul Henrique Kalkhake and Inês Gregório about the topic of Social Cohesion.
Sustainable Growth at Paris Thinking Lab Summit
Opinions on Sustainable Growth in the #DialogueOnEuropeDuring the Second Thinking Lab Summit in Paris, Orange Magazine spoke with Tiago Correia Machado and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin. They discussed their opinions on the topic of Sustainable Growth.
Migration & Integration at Paris Thinking Lab Summit
Opinions on Migration & Integration in the #DialogueOnEuropeDuring the second Thinking Lab Summit in Paris, Orange Magazine spoke to Patrícia Lisa and Ilias Antoniou about Migration & Integration. Here are their opinions.
Labour Market Duality in Southern Europe
The need for greater fairness and intergenerational solidarity at the workplace
The first European Thinking Lab took place from 25-27 November in Lisbon. During the Summit, the contributors cooperated within their Thinking Lab and worked out brief policy proposals. Arnolds Eizenšmits is engaged with the topics of Labour Market Duality in Southern Europe: significant differences in Employment Protection Legislation between ‘insiders‘ and ‘outsiders‘ condemn youngsters in Southern Europe to precarious jobs.
What does Civil Society mean to you?
Participants of the Paris Thinking Lab Summit talk about what "Civil Society" means to them.
As the Thinking Lab Summit in Paris was a meeting of members of Civil Society, Orange Magazine wondered, what “Civil Society” means to the participants. Is it a universal definition or rather personal term?
The Team Behind Orange Magazine
Meet the team behind Orange Magazine, who covered the Paris Thinking Lab SummitMeet the team behind Orange Magazine, who joined the #DialogueOnEurope during the second Thinking Lab Summit in Paris and covered various stories, which were re-published here on this website.
About the Project
About the Project
Throughout the last two and a half years, Das Progressive Zentrum conducted a large DIALOGUE ON EUROPE with actors from the civil society of eight European countries and with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office. The project came to an end on 19 March 2018 with the publication of four Policy Briefs on Migration and Integration, Populism, Social Cohesion and Sustainable Growth.
The German then-Foreign Minister (and current Federal President), Frank-Walter Steinmeier, discussing with 5 European “next generation” thinkers during the Opening Conference of the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE project on 28 June 2016 in Berlin. © Das Progressive Zentrum, 2016
Why a DIALOGUE ON EUROPE?
Due to many disintegrative developments such as the Brexit-referendum and the rise of right-wing populism and especially the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis with its long-time effects especially on the South of Europe, the future of the European Union is at stake. The challenges ahead of us are too profound and seminal to be addressed by high-ranking politicians attending closed-door summits alone. A long-term solution can only be achieved with the support of a strong and well-connected European civil society which, unfortunately, is all too seldom listened to.
What is the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE?
With this in mind, Das Progressive Zentrum in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office, initiated the project “DIALOGUE ON EUROPE – Rebuilding trust and redefining Europe in tough times”. The project gave rise to a two-year transnational dialogue process at eye level with young, promising thinkers from Greece, Portugal, Italy, France, Spain and Germany. This process brought together key actors from civil society, the media, politics, academia and the business and start-up sectors to help foster a climate of mutual understanding between the participating states and societies.
The new German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas with the contributors in Brussels on 19 March 2018 for the project’s Closing Conference © Jacob&Alex, 2018
How did the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE work?
The DIALOGUE ON EUROPE unfolded in three main phases: an initiation phase with bilateral Town Hall Meetings, a creation phase with multilateral Thinking Labs, and a multiplication phase for the diffusion of the project’s results.
The DIALOGUE ON EUROPE process
In order to initiate the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE, our international team came across Europe and met more than 400 young dedicated movers and shakers of the national and local civil society during 5 #EuropeanTownHall Meetings held in Athens, Lisbon, Rome, Marseilles & Madrid. The events enabled lively debates in workshops and public discussions with the German Federal Minister of State for Europe, Michael Roth, on the most pressing European challenges, shaping at the same time a strong network of European think tank partners — ELIAMEP (Greece), Institute of Public Policy (Portugal), Istituto Affari Internazionali (Italy), Jacques Delors Institute (France), Fundación Alternativas and Politikon (Spain).
On 28 June 2016, the German Minister for Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, officially launched the second, multilateral phase of the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE project at the Europasaal of the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, together with 100 young and upcoming opinion leaders and intellectuals from these 5 countries as well as from Germany. These selected representatives from the European civil society then developed genuinely European policy recommendations in four DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Thinking Labs on “Populism”, “Social Cohesion”, “Migration & Integration” and “Sustainable Growth”. Between June 2016 and March 2018, they had several virtual working phases with video conferences called “Sprints”, as well as three physical meetings, the so-called European Thinking Lab Summits in Lisbon, Paris and Rome.
On 19 March 2018, the final policy briefs of the four Thinking Labs were presented at the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Closing Conference in Brussels. The honorary guests and keynote speakers Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister, and Michael Roth stressed the innovative character of the project and acknowledged the relevance of the policy recommendations.
DIALOGUE ON EUROPE, a project initiated by Das Progressive Zentrum in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office.
Policy Brief on Sustainable Growth
2018 | Thinking Lab on Sustainable Growth
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Sustainable Growth in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed six main policy recommendations focusing on two key priorities.
Policy Brief on Social Cohesion
2018 | Thinking Lab on Social Cohesion
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Social Cohesion in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed seven main policy recommendations in four key areas.
Policy Brief on Populism
2018 | Thinking Lab on Populism
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Populism in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed nine policy recommendations focusing on the creation of trust between citizens and the political sphere.
Policy Brief on Migration & Integration
2018 | Thinking Lab on Migration & Integration
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Migration & Integration in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed nine policy recommendations divided into three main clusters.
Europe 2.0: Developing Policies to Reinvent the EU
With the EU in crisis, the #DialogueOnEurope seeks to reinvent the Union
The European Union is in distress. On the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome this has become an ever-present issue, which the #DialogueOnEurope seeks to address. The gathering of various members of civil society aims to find new insights and solutions to the Union’s most prevalent problems.
Security Pivot Towards a Police State in France
Populisms' Slippery Slope
The first European Thinking Lab took place from 25-27 November in Lisbon. During the Summit, the contributors cooperated within their Thinking Lab and worked out brief policy proposals. Félix Blanc is engaged with the topic of a Security Pivot towards a Police State in France.
Strengthening Vocational Education and Training
Improving Attractiveness and Social Recognition by Fostering "Success Factors"
The first European Thinking Lab took place from 25-27 November in Lisbon. During the Summit, the contributors cooperated within their Thinking Lab and worked out brief policy proposals. Inês Gregório is engaged with the topic of Strengthening Vocational Education and Training.
Supporting Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation
Boosting Founder Confidence and Encouraging Investments
The first European Thinking Lab took place from 25-27 November in Lisbon. During the Summit, the contributors cooperated within their Thinking Lab and worked out brief policy proposals. Andrea Montanari is engaged with the topics of Investment Incentives and Social Innovation.