E(U)Lections: Think, Decide, Change – Lisbon, Portugal, May, 10, 2019

E(U)Lections: Think, Decide, Change – Lisbon, Portugal, May, 10, 2019

The first EULECTIONS’19 event in Portugal took place on May, 10, 2019, at Iscte- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. This full event involved 92 citizens from the city of Lisbon, Portugal, mostly university students, for a full day dedicated to the European elections and the future of the EU.

This event aimed to bring awareness to the importance of youth participation at the 2019 elections for the European Parliament, question populist and extremist views and promote an informed and open debate about the current and future challenges of the European project and ways forward.

EUlections'19 10th May 2019 programme poster, with project logo, listing of activities and their schedule, logos of partners and contact information.

The event included various activities and methods (brainstorming, quizzes debates, workshops) and involved students, teachers, researchers, media, government officials and youth activists.

The day started with the participants’ welcome and registration at the event desk where everyone received a bag with promotional gifts, workshop materials and a brochure with information about the project. Then, in the first activity of the day, we invited participants to think and express their views about a very important topic for the 2019 European elections: the rise of populism. The “Tree of Europe” was built from the perspectives on the topic and showed youth’s perspectives about populist ideas and the elections.

The "Tree of Europe", a tree drawn on a poster with its leaves made of handwritten post-it notes containing individual perspetives.
A participant observing the Tree.

Considering the central role of information in questioning populist and extremist views, and also in promoting electoral participation, we invited participants to gather in groups and play the “Who wants to be an European Expert” quiz. This question and answer activity aimed to improve participants’ understanding of the importance and presence of the European Union in our daily lives and engage young people in the debate about Europe and the 2019 elections.

The quiz being presented by two Young Educators representatives to students in an auditorium.

After the “warm up” activities, participants had the opportunity to discuss with academics, the rise of populism and its threats to the European Union, in a round-table entitled “Populism and democracy: what´s at stake?”. The debate aimed to give a broader view, based on research, of the challenges to the European democracies brought by populist and extremist movements and explore how citizens and governments at the national and European level can respond to these trends. The debate was moderated by the Executive Editor in Chief of the Portuguese newspaper “Diário de Notícias”, Catarina Carvalho.

Poster for the roundtable event "Populism and Democracy: What's at Stake?", with the project and partner logos and the pictures and names of the participants in the center.
Four roundtable participants seated on the auditorium stage during the event, with Catarina Carvalho talking.
The audience of the roundtable, filling most of the auditorium's seats.

Following the debate with academics and the media, we welcomed the Portuguese Secretary of State of European Affairs, Ana Paula Zacarias.
In this activity, entitled “The citizens meet… Ana Paula Zacarias”, participants had the opportunity to learn more about the work done within this State Secretariat and to present questions about the European neighbourhood policy and the future of the European Union. This conversation was hosted by the project coordinator, Ana Isabel Xavier.

This activity aimed to promote a closer interaction between young citizens and government representatives in charge of European affairs and contribute to a better understanding of how European institutions work, the EU current challenges and ways forward.

Ana Paula Zacarias and the hosting project coordinator seated on the auditorium's stage during the talk.
Ana Paula Zacarias on the stage, talking to the audience.

The last part of the event was the training session “May the vote be with EU: workshop on future scenarios”. It started with a “EU dating” in which participants had to share with each other their answers to questions like “What does it mean to be an European Union citizen” and “Why will I vote for the future European Parliament elections?”.

Students seated in two rows, one facing the other, each talking with the person in front of them.
Students seated in two rows, one facing the other, each talking with the person in front of them.

Afterwards, divided in small groups, each group had to discuss the pros and cons of each scenario reflected in the “White Paper on the Future of Europe: Reflections and scenarios for the EU27 by 2025” of the European Commission and present it to the whole group. In the end of this activity, each group created what they considered to be an “ideal scenario” for the future of European Union, with their recommendations and opinions.

Group of students seated around a table with several papers spread over it, working on their handwritten poster containing the answers.
Two students presenting a poster with answers, with one talking while the other is holding it to be seen by the other participants in the classroom.

This event ended with the presentation of the web-course “ChangEU Multipliers” and with each participant showing a card to the actual European Commission, where Green meant that they feel European Commission aligns with their interests and opinions, Yellow meaning that they somehow feel connected with the European Commission work, but they feel some lack of representation and Red signalizing that they don´t feel represented at all by the work done by the European Commission.

Participants seated around tables, with the colored cards and paper sheets spread over them, while some participants hold multiple cards. A projected slide showing the words "ChangEU Multipliers Webcourse" can be seen in the back.
Participants seated around a table and some standing, each smiling while holding out a yellow card.

During this event, some of the young participants also shared with us their expectations regarding European Union and the European Parliament.

Watch the videos from participants testimonies:

Gallery

Participants signing in for the event, two persons bending over a counter with two others standing in the back of it.
Multiple tote bags with the project logo piled on a chair and a piece of paper on a table in front where the project logo can also be seen.
The "Tree of Europe" poster on a wall with three participants in front of it, one standing and two squatting near a table to write.
Four roundtable participants seated on stage in front of the auditorium's audience with the event poster projected behind them, perspective from the middle of the audience.
Four roundtable participants seated on stage in front of the auditorium's audience with the event poster projected behind them, with other representative on the left of the stage and the host standing and talking on the right. Perspective from the back of the audience.
Four roundtable participants seated on stage during the event, with its poster projected behind them.
Four roundtable participants seated on stage in front of the auditorium's audience with the event poster projected behind them, perspective from the back of the audience.
Two roundtable participants, one is Catarina Carvalho talking.
Two other roundtable participants, with one talking.
Frontal perspective of the roundtable audience.
Ana Paula Zacarias and the host seated on the stage during the talk, with its poster projected in the back, containing their pictures and names.
A perspective of the audience and the ongoing talk from the back of the auditorium.
Frontal perspective of the talk's audience.
Students seated in two rows, each talking with the one seated in front of them during the“May the vote be with EU: workshop on future scenarios” training session.
Detail of handwritten poster with a EUlections'19 paper describing the five scenarios over it, during the group activity “White Paper on the Future of Europe: Reflections and scenarios for the EU27 by 2025”.
Handwritten poster with the word "cooperation" in portuguese standing out, on a table with three seated participants around it.
Handwritten poster spread over table with a participant pointing to it.
Two participants presenting their poster, with one holding it and the other talking, and a project logo banner behind them.
Two participants presenting their poster, with one holding it and the other talking, and a project logo banner behind them.
Participants seated around tables, with the colored cards and paper sheets spread over them, while some participants hold multiple cards. A projected slide showing the words "ChangEU Multipliers Webcourse" can be seen in the back.
Participants seated around tables, each holding out a yellow card.
Participants and representatives holding out yellow and green cards, three people.
Participants and representatives holding out yellow and green cards.
Participants and representatives seated around a table with a handwritten poster over it and some yellow cards, with some people holding them.

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