Please find here the full event programme.
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 52 (listening room JDE 51) / Web streaming / EN-FR-ES-IT
Introduction
Jon ALEXANDER, Co-Founder, New Citizen Project
Keynote
Beth Simone NOVECK, Professor and Director, Burnes Center for Social Change; Northeastern University
Opening speeches
Kata TÜTTŐ, President; European Committee of the Regions
Younous OMARJEE, Vice-President of the European Parliament
Georgiana SIMA, County Councillor of Clujand and member of the CoR's Young Elected Politicians programme
Moderator
Emna CHAOUCH
European Committee of the Regions, JDE Atrium 5 / Web streaming / EN
In recent years, a significant proportion of the audience has turned to social and video networks for information about politics and news, as confirmed by the 2024 Reuters Digital News Reports. Three inspiring influencers who stand out in this landscape have been invited to share their views and encourage the audience to discuss what trust means to them.
Trust in communities
Colombe CAHEN-SALVADOR, Co-Founder; Atlas Movement
Trust in technology
Karim HALLAL PECHE, YouTuber; El Viejo Continente
Trust in institutions
Alice STOLLMEYER, Founder and Executive Director; Defend Democracy
Moderator
Emna CHAOUCH
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 52 / Webstreaming / EN-ES-FR-IT
Cities and regions as trust builders: Shaping resilient democracies against disinformation
In an era marked by growing political polarisation, the rapid spread of disinformation, and mounting geopolitical instability, fostering and maintaining trust in democratic institutions has never been more crucial. As the levels of government closest to the people, cities and regions are uniquely positioned to foster this trust. They can serve as key actors in promoting reliable information pathways, equipping their communities with concrete tools to navigate the digital landscape, and shaping resilient democracies from the ground up.
Moderator
Tony LOCKETT, Head of the Communication Unit; Directorate-General for Research and Innovation; European Commission
Speakers
Ana Catarina MENDES, Member of the European Parliament
Mario SCHARFBILLIG, Science for Policy Analyst, Joint Research Centre; European Commission
Federica CUNA, Provincial Councillor, Barletta – Andria and CoR member
Martin PŘÍBORSKÝ, Member of Brno City Council and CoR member
Patrik SCHWARCZ-KIEFER, Member of the County Council of Baranya Vármegye and CoR member
Magdalena CZARZNSKA-JACHIM, mayor of the city of Sopot and CoR member
Stephen DE RON, Councilor of the Municipality of Hesperange and CoR member
Juliane VON REPPERT-BISMARCK, Executive Director and Founder; Lie Detectors
European Committee of the Regions, JDE Atrium 6
Micro and macro trust. We investigate trust in communities and institutions
Through the presentation of case studies and experiences brought by the participants we would like to investigate 2 aspects:
1) the potential similarities and divergences between micro trust (community / personal relations) and macro trust (institution / transparent relations)
2) the emergence of a third type of trust (definable as “MESO”) that mediates between the micro and the macro.
The workshop will be conducted in an interactive manner starting with the presentation of international case studies and developing, with participants, participatory concept maps to focus on the key principles that enable the development of meso trust, a key fact for linking micro and macro trust.
Facilitator
Matteo BRAMBILLA, Founder; FROM – Moltiplichiamo valore pubblico
Arianna CAMPANILE, Project Manager and consultant; FROM - Moltiplichiamo valore pubblico
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 53 (listening room JDE51) / Web streaming
Trust-based advocacy campaigns: using AI to connect, mobilise and listen
Community engagement is about creating meaningful connections, mobilising people and establishing lasting credibility. This training course will explore how communicators can design local-level campaigns that resonate and inspire action, building trust in the process. Using the European Campaign Playbook’s Advocacy Canvas methodology, participants will learn the key principles of trust-based campaigning through real-life examples and practical digital and AI-driven tools.
Trainer
Sebastian RODRIGUEZ, Campaign strategist; European Movement International and Founder; European Campaign Playbook
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 52 (listening room JDE (51) / Web streaming / EN-FR
Public Communication in the AI Age: Challenges and opportunities
AI-driven technology is changing our world — and the way we communicate — at an astonishing rate. How will these technologies affect communication over the next 10 years? How can public institutions benefit from them, and how can we ensure that the transformative power of AI and data-driven policies is used for the greater good?
Moderator
Silke TOENSHOFF, Head of the Events and Local Dialogues Unit; European Committee of the Regions
Speakers
Victor RIPARBELLI, CEO & Co-Founder; Synthesia
Martha GABRIEL, Professor of Artificial Intelligence; Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo
Claudio CERASA, Editor-in-chief; Il Foglio
European Committee of the Regions, JDE Atrium 6
Reskilling for trust in innovation
AI is transforming public communication, acting as both a disruptor and an enabler. Public communicators must therefore actively engage with AI tools and their creators. But how can public institutions build the right skills and capabilities to leverage AI responsibly? This Ideas Lab focuses on equipping public communicators with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively integrate AI tools into their work. This enhances their ability to craft compelling narratives and engage diverse audiences. Through interactive activities and practical exercises, participants will discover how AI can streamline communication processes, enhance content creation and improve strategic messaging in the public sphere.
Facilitators
Simon PIATEK, Director; New Imagination Lab
Alicja DRYIA, MPA candidate in Climate, Innovation and Sustainability Policy; University College London and Co-founder; Zryw Foundation
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 53 (listening room JDE 63)
Simulation game on disinformation and information threats
In this interactive simulation, Operation National Resilience, participants will confront the challenge of Russian Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) directly. As part of a national task force protecting 'Member State Y' during the critical 2025 European elections, participants will use Osavul, an advanced AI platform, to:
- detect and analyse fast-evolving information threats;
- uncover complex disinformation tactics and the actors behind them;
- navigate challenging ethical dilemmas in real time.
- strategise and decide on effective countermeasures to protect democratic integrity.
Trainer:
Dmytro BILASH, Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer; Osavul
Carine VAN DEN PUTTE, Head of Business Development Europe; Osavul
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 52 / Web streaming / EN-FR
Revitalizing Trust: Innovative Approaches for Public Institutions
In an era of technological advancements and societal shifts, the evolving landscape of trust in institutions makes the role of public communicators increasingly crucial in fostering transparency and credibility. This workshop will explore the future of trust in institutions, examining how public communicators can navigate the many challenges and build stronger relationships between organisations and the public.
Moderator
Carlotta ALFONSI, Policy Analyst for Public Communication and Access to Information, Public Governance Directorate; OECD
Speakers
Nathaniel HILL, Director and Head of Strategy; M&C Saatchi World
Elizabeth FRY, Head of Communications Analysis and Assessment; SHAPE/NATO
Simona MUTEANU, Senior Adviser, OECD Accession Office and Public Sector Innovation; General Secretariat of the Government of Romania
European Committee of the Regions, JDE Atrium 6 / EN
Building trust through stories: the strategic use of testimonials in communication
How can testimonials be used to enhance engagement and shift perceptions? This Idea Lab explores the strategic use of real people's real voices in institutional communication campaigns, focusing on their ability to build emotional resonance and trust.
Facilitators
Giulia BUSOLIN, Public Relations Assistant; Civil Society Outreach unit, Directorate General for Communication, European Parliament
Albrecht JOHN, Civil Society Outreach Unit, Directorate-General for Communication; European Parliament
Ringaile RAZAUSKIENE, Civil Society Outreach Unit, Directorate-General for Communication; European Parliament
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 53 / Web streaming
Trust in institutions and social media
This practical session provides public sector communicators with the tools and strategies they need to build trust with citizens through social media. Using the Know, Like, Trust model and the Triangle of Trust (authenticity, logic, and empathy), participants will learn to humanise their messaging, communicate clearly, and engage empathetically.
Trainer
Katarzyna KOWALEWSKA, Social Media & Communications Consultant
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 51 / Web streaming
How to keep trust in journalism in the age of AI?
News media has faced crisis after crisis since the dawn of the internet: the decline of print subscriptions; the rise of social media and fake news; and now generative AI, which some fear will eat and replace journalism.
This crisis of confidence has led to a return to caring about building and holding trust with the reader. This session will look over the different ways that news media demonstrate trust and consider how AI can be harnessed in a way that helps media without eroding trust.
Trainer
Chris POWERS, Head of Audience & Newsroom Innovation; Euractiv
European Committee of the Regions, JDE 52 / Web streaming / EN-FR-ES-IT
Trust in communities, technology and institutions with
Heike RAAB, State Secretary for Europe and Media of Rhineland- Palatinate and Chair of the CoR's Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC)
Aurel Laurenţiu PLOSCEANU, Vice-President in charge of Communication; European Economic and Social Committee
Elina ROINE, Deputy Director-General of the Operations Directorate; European Investment Bank
Sophia Eriksson WATERSCHOOT, Deputy Director- General, European Commission's Directorate General for Communication
Nicole BAYER, Director for Communication and Media, Council of the European Union
Moderator
Emna Chaouch
ATRIUM 5
We are pleased to invite you to attend the Networking Lunch, offering a valuable opportunity to conclude the day with informal exchanges in a refined setting.