2nd Round Table on the Festival of Democracy in Dzierzgoń - young people co-create the future event

A 2nd Round Table dedicated to the preparations for the Festival of Democracy was held in Dzierzgoń. Representatives of young people, local authorities, and local institutions worked together on the concept of an event designed to respond to the needs and ideas of young residents and to strengthen their participation in public life.

On 3 June 2026, the 2nd Round Table on the Festival of Democracy took place in Dzierzgoń. The event gathered representatives of student councils, teachers, local government officials, and people engaged in promoting youth civic participation. The meeting had a working character and aimed to develop proposals concerning the structure of the future festival, its programme, and ways of involving young residents.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Dzierzgoń Jolanta Szewczun and representatives of the Młodzieżowa Rada Miejska Gminy Dzierzgoń.

In their introductory remarks, they emphasised the importance of intergenerational dialogue and the role of young people in shaping local democracy.

An important part of the programme was an expert panel on the impact of social activity in the school environment on the further educational and professional development of young people. Experiences were shared by the Mayor of Dzierzgoń Jolanta Szewczun and the Mayor of Olsztynek Robert Waraksa.

A key element of the programme was a training and motivational workshop for student council representatives, led by Kacper Chyła from Fundacja Proste Założenie.

Participants worked on tools supporting effective action in the school environment as well as methods of engaging peers in social initiatives.

The most important part of the meeting was the round-table debate. Working in groups, young people developed proposals for the future Festival of Democracy. Discussions covered, among others, potential attractions, invited guests, event locations, and ways of using urban space in Dzierzgoń.

The work of the participants resulted in a wide range of ideas and recommendations, which were presented during the final summary session. It was highlighted that young residents demonstrate strong creative potential and are ready to actively participate in social life, provided that they are given real opportunities for co-decision-making.

The meeting confirmed that the preparation process for the Festival of Democracy is based on cooperation between different stakeholders and the genuine inclusion of young people in decision-making processes.