Democracy Academy 2023: Reimagining the future of Democracy

September 20-24, 2023, Gazzada Schianno, Lombardy, Italy

All around the world, democracy is facing a wide array of interconnected challenges. They are closely related to wider developments, such as the climate crisis, demographic transformations, urbanization, and digitalization.

More and more thinkers and practitioners have therefore begun exploring and unlocking new possibilities for transforming democracies. They aim to make democracy more resilient and just by increasing political and civic participation, and to align democratic processes with the preservation of our world.

From September 20 to 24, 2023, the Democracy Academy brings together thirty senior professionals with interdisciplinary and intercultural backgrounds in science, art, governance, media, and civil society from Europe and beyond. The Democracy Academy will provide space to work on the following threads on a personal, organizational, and systemic level:

-       to reflect on ongoing and emerging trends and patterns of behavior that influence the current state of democracy globally and locally,

-       to collectively reimagine the future of democracy,

-       to look at innovative and progressive discourses and practices that might become a source for transforming democracies.

At the Democracy Academy participants will be in exchange with fellow thinkers and practitioners, participate in workshops, and get the chance to work on cases that matter to them. They will engage in a process of collective learning and thus strengthen their capacity as agents of change. The program will be informed and further developed based on the inquiries of the participants.

The Democracy Academy is a collaboration between the Kreisau-Initiative, the Freya von Moltke-Stiftung, and the International Alumni Center, which coordinates the Bosch Alumni Network.

Last year, we gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise from rapid change in our world in this “Academy” format. You can find a participant's diary here.

Mid-career professionals with profound professional experience from around the world are welcome to apply. Only members of the Bosch Alumni Network, as well as alumni from the Kreisau-Initiative and the Freya von Moltke Stiftung are eligible to participate.

Costs and conditions:

This years’ Academy takes place at Villa Cagnola in Gazzada Schianno, Italy. All participants will be accommodated on site in single rooms free of charge.

No participation fee will be charged. 50% of the economy class travel expenses will be reimbursed. In justified cases of hardship, reimbursement of up to 100% of the travel costs can be requested.

Applications can be submitted until May 7, 2023 under the following link: https://easy-feedback.de/umfrage/1652174/G07M57

Contact for further questions:

Marta Kurek, info.academy@boschalumni.net

We look forward to your interest and applications!