The city will be hosting a series of events, activities and lectures between now and October 2024, linked to democratic innovation and citizen participation, as well as culture, education and public space. As the European Capital of Democracy, the city will be addressing today’s most urgent challenges, such as persistent inequalities, the increase in hate speech and disinformation, unchecked digitalisation and the climate crisis.

Notable activities include the International Democracy Festival and the Decidim Technology Fest, The Annual Innovation in Politics Awards ceremony, a game jam entitled Truth, Lies & Democracy, meetings on participation and democracy, Europe Day and more.

The programme was presented by the technical office for the European Capital of Democracy, made up of Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan and backed by The Innovation in Politics Institute.

The road to capital status

The path to becoming the capital began at the end of June 2022, together with 12 other European cities. Barcelona set out five experiences and projects in citizen participation and democratic innovation which earnt the city the chance to become the first European City of Democracy.

The projects were the citizen participation platform Decidim, the participatory budgets, the deliberative citizen assemblies, the Barcelona Superblock project and the Canòdrom Digital Innovation and Democracy Centre.