coACTION Multiplier Event Highlights European Approaches to Democratic School Transformation
Where Participation Becomes Democratic Culture.
As part of ICICTE 2026, held in Rhodes, Greece, the coACTION project organised its Multiplier Event, entitled “From Participation to Democratic Culture: European Approaches to School Transformation.” The event brought together educators, researchers, school leaders, project partners, and other education professionals to explore practical approaches for strengthening democratic participation and building more inclusive and participatory school communities across Europe.
The event was officially opened by Brigitta Rupp, Project Coordinator from PBOe, Private Educational Institutions Austria, who welcomed participants and introduced the coACTION project. In her opening presentation, she provided an overview of the project’s vision, objectives, activities, and achievements to date, highlighting its whole-school approach to democratic empowerment. She also emphasised the importance of supporting schools in turning democratic values into everyday practices and reflected on the role of European cooperation in creating more inclusive, participatory, and resilient learning environments.
The session was moderated by Anastasia (Nancy) Pyrini from PARAGON-eduTech, Greece, who guided participants through the programme and facilitated the exchange of ideas throughout the event.
The first presentation, “The Guide to Democratic Empowerment: A Roadmap for Building Democratic School Communities,” was delivered by Klaus Linde-Leimer and Susanne Linde from Blickpunkt Identität, Austria. They presented the Guide as a practical resource designed to support schools in strengthening democratic cultures and practices. Their contribution showed how the Guide can help school communities reflect on their current approaches, identify areas for development, and implement concrete actions that encourage participation, dialogue, shared responsibility, and inclusion.
Next, Mariano Sanz Prieto from Jaitek Tecnología y Formación S.L., Spain, presented the Democratic Empowerment Platform (DEMP) under the title “Turning Democratic Values into Everyday School Practice.” His presentation introduced the platform’s digital tools and resources and explained how they can support schools in monitoring, planning, and strengthening democratic development. Participants gained insight into how DEMP can help translate broad democratic principles into practical actions adapted to the realities of each school community.
The event continued with a presentation by Almerindo Oliveira from Agrupamento de Escolas Terras do Ave, Portugal, focused on the “Year of Democracy” Pilot Programme. He shared the experience of implementing democratic participation activities in schools across Europe, presenting key outcomes, lessons learned, and examples of good practice identified during the pilot phase. His contribution highlighted the value of involving students, teachers, school leaders, and families in a shared process of democratic transformation.
A direct school perspective was then provided by Stavroula Vrakopoulou and Penelope Mastoridou from the 2nd Primary School of Pefka, Greece. Their presentation, “From Participation to Democratic Culture: Implementing the ‘Year of Democracy’ Pilot Programme in a Greek Primary School,” offered a practical example of how democratic participation can become part of everyday school life. They shared their experiences, the activities carried out, and the impact of the programme on the school community, showing how students can take a more active role in decisions and initiatives that affect them.
The event concluded with a participant feedback session and open discussion facilitated by Anastasia (Nancy) Pyrini. This final exchange gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions, share perspectives, and reflect on the opportunities and challenges involved in promoting democratic cultures in schools. The discussion also highlighted the importance of practical tools, long-term commitment, and cooperation between different members of the school community.
The coACTION Multiplier Event represented an important milestone in the dissemination of the project’s results. It provided a valuable platform to present the resources developed by the consortium, connect with the wider educational community, and promote dialogue around democratic school transformation. The event reinforced the project partners’ shared commitment to supporting schools in moving beyond isolated participation activities towards sustainable democratic cultures embedded in everyday educational practice.
