WAVES OF DEMOCRACY

The International Summer Academy 2013 in Snderborg welcomes young people from the region, from other European countries and abroad, who will meet to discuss challenges and solutions for a future Europe, in the wake of projects like Waves of Democracy and Solutions for Rethinking Europe. The aim of the summer seminar is to provide a platform for dialogue, exchange andnetworking between young people, politicians, scientists, journalists, artists e.g. to find sustainable solutions for regional development, taking its starting-point in the border region of Snderjylland and Schleswig. The European project is on the one hand experiencing the worst crisis in its history that goes along with a serious loss of trust in the legitimacy and creative power of democraticinstitutions on the national and the European level. On the other hand many citizens of Europe express a strong demand for more direct and different participation and more transparency via movements, demonstrations, social networks and campaigns. At the same time, however, the financial crisis and its economic impact have triggered new waves of national resentment and prejudice, which pose a profound threat to European democracy. The seminar will address these challenges in politics and culture by using a variety of advanced tools and methods and set up new models and agendas for inspiration.