As part of the BAUHAUS4MED Project, the Thematic Area of Direct Democracy explores how civic participation, digital innovation, and design thinking can transform governance and decision-making across Mediterranean territories. In line with the New European Bauhaus values, sustainability, inclusiveness, and aesthetics, this thematic area promotes citizen-centered approaches that empower communities to actively shape their urban, social, and ecological futures
Reimagining Participation
Direct democracy is at the heart of a thriving, inclusive society. Through this thematic area, BAUHAUS4MED investigates new participatory frameworks that go beyond traditional consultation models, embracing co-creation, co-design, and collective intelligence. By fostering open dialogue between citizens, policymakers, designers, and researchers, the project aims to reimagine how democratic processes can be more transparent, accessible, and engaging.
Digital Tools for Citizen Empowerment
Digital transformation plays a key role in strengthening participatory democracy. BAUHAUS4MED supports the development and testing of digital civic engagement platforms, participatory mapping tools, and decision-support systems that allow citizens to contribute ideas, vote on priorities, and collaboratively design solutions for their communities. These tools embody the project’s vision for a human-centered digital public space, one that connects citizens to institutions and encourages trust, accountability, and creativity.
From Local Action to Regional Impact
The Mediterranean context , diverse, vibrant, and culturally rich, offers a unique testing ground for innovative democratic models. The Thematic Area of Direct Democracy encourages pilot initiatives that demonstrate how citizen-driven innovation can address challenges such as sustainable urban planning, climate adaptation, and social inclusion. Local experiments will feed into regional learning processes, contributing to a shared Mediterranean vision for participatory governance.
A New Bauhaus for Democracy
At its core, the Thematic Area of Direct Democracy seeks to bridge the gap between citizens and institutions, combining art, technology, and civic engagement to make democracy more tangible, collaborative, and inspiring. It invites communities to co-create a future where public spaces, physical and digital, become places of shared imagination, debate, and action.
Stay Tuned for more!
