Across two September Forums in Pontonx-sur-l’Adour, 30 young people explored fake news, political engagement, and the future of youth mobility in Europe.
On 6 and 13 September, MDE40 WIPSEE organised two Youth Civic and Political Participation Forums, bringing together young people from diverse educational and social backgrounds for a series of interactive workshops focused on democratic engagement, media literacy, and youth participation. Hosted at WIPSEE’s premises and the local community centre in Pontonx-sur-l’Adour, the Forums created a space where participants could openly discuss political representation, misinformation, and the future of European mobility programmes such as Erasmus+.
Through debates, collaborative exercises, and campaign-building activities, participants explored the key competences of civic and political participation, including critical thinking, analytical reasoning, social influence, and ethical social media use. One of the highlights of the Forum invited participants to imagine a future where Erasmus+ no longer existed and European borders had become increasingly closed. Working in groups, young people designed advocacy campaigns to defend mobility rights and convince decision-makers of their importance.
“Before this Forum, I thought politics was something distant,” one participant shared. “Here, I realised that even the way we communicate online or organise projects locally is already a form of civic participation.” Another participant reflected on the importance of communication during the workshops: “I discovered that the way we argue and explain our ideas really matters if we want people to listen to us.”
The programme also included activities on fake news detection and fact-checking, encouraging participants to critically analyse online information and reflect on the growing impact of misinformation on democratic life.
The Forums concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring Ulrich Bohner, former Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, giving participants the opportunity to exchange directly on youth engagement and European citizenship.
For WIPSEE, the initiative confirmed the importance of creating inclusive and practical spaces where young people can not only discuss civic issues, but actively experience what democratic participation looks like in practice.