"Citizenship education is crucial for rebuilding trust in democracy, and local and regional authorities have an important role in educating citizens in democratic values," stressed Paolo Beltraminelli (Switzerland, EPP/CCE), Vice-Chair of the Congress Governance Committee, opening the webinar on "Local and Global Citizenship Education Policy and Actions: Rebuilding Trust in Democracy Globally" on 17 June 2026.
"Through citizenship education, we can empower individuals as active, informed citizens," he said, highlighting the role of local and regional authorities in addressing disinformation, hate speech and growing polarisation. "Through their responsibilities in education, culture, youth policies and citizen participation, they can strengthen democratic culture and build trust between citizens and public institutions," said the Vice-Chair.
In this regard, Paolo Beltraminelli referred to the Council of Europe's Reference Framework on Democratic Competencies and the ongoing work on the New Democratic Pact for Europe, stressing the importance of Global Citizenship Education in fostering critical thinking, democratic participation, respect for human rights and social cohesion.
Organised by the Academic Network on Global Education and Learning, the webinar brought together representatives of local and regional authorities, educators and civil society organisations to discuss how Global Citizenship Education (GCE) can strengthen democratic participation, counter disinformation and hate speech, and reconnect citizens with democratic institutions. The discussion focused on the contribution of local and regional governments to fostering democratic resilience through education, intercultural dialogue and inclusive participation.
