Democracy Youth Camp 2026 - Germany

In a nutshell

The Democracy Camp is your five-day intercultural exchange on democracy, sustainability, intersectionality, and Europe – and the interconnections between them. Join our community of 60 young people aged 16 to 26 years  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

What exactly does that mean?

From 17 until 2¹ June, we will explore two guiding questions: What participation tools are available to me? And, how can I use these tools to promote sustainability and inclusion?

Together we will identify a wide variety of democratic best practices in sustainability, diversity, and the shaping of Europe. We will expand our understanding of political levels ranging from the city to the role of the EU and the UN. Also, we will advance the skills relevant for political participation and running successful projects in the future.

The main output of the Democracy Camp will be the Youth Participation Handbook. It is co-authored by participants of the Camp, outlining ideas, insights and knowledge, as well as a practical guide for youth participation and recommendations for policymakers to improve the current state of youth participation in Europe.

What activities will we engage in? 

• 26 May, 6 PM CEST: Digital kick-off. Here, we collect your ideas for topics, methods and anything else that's important to you for the Camp. And of course, you’ll get to know each other and the partner organisations!   
• Democracy Camp from 17-21 June! In Vallendar, we’ll explore democracy and citizen participation in all countries represented. We’ll look at concrete instruments, campaigns and broaden skills relevant for effective participation.   
• On day 3, we’ll explore the city of Bonn and meet citizens’ initiatives in action. 
• On Saturday evening, we’ll celebrate our achievements together in Vallendar.       
• After the Camp: We’ll publish our ideas for improved youth participation and promising tools to foster a democratic and inclusive Europe in the 2026 Youth Participation Handbook. We’ll then send this handbook to decision-makers across Europe, including Members of the European Parliament, to help bridge the gap between the EU and young people.     

You're interested in becoming a part of our Democracy Camp 2026?

Register to join your country delegation and meet other young Europeans in Germany from 17 to 21 June.

Who can join the Democracy Camp 2025? 

Participation in the Democracy Camp is free of charge for all young people. The organisers cover all costs, including your travel to and from Germany up to 250€! 

There are only a few criteria: 

• You must be between 16 and 26 years of age 
• You feel comfortable enough to speak English for five days 
• We want our Democracy Camp to include as many diverse voices as possible, so applications from youth with fewer opportunities are given preference. 
• As a minor, you’ll need the signature of your parents and will always be accompanied.

Please note that, at this stage, we are still developing some aspects of the programme; more information will be shared throughout the following weeks on this webpage. So, stay tuned to learn more about the Democracy Camp!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us: Alexandra at nadal@democracy-international.org or Zdravko at kostadinov@democracy-international.org .