NECE, which stands for Networking European Civic Education, has long been a familiar platform and annual conference for civic educators to connect, learn, and grow. To stay relevant and effective, NECE needs to evolve with the changing times. THE CIVICS is thrilled to have emerged as the winner of a Europe-wide idea challenge with its concepts to make NECE future-proof in the next three years (2023 – 2025). The transformation of NECE into a multi-stakeholder network is a crucial step towards achieving this goal.
NECE’s new structure will go beyond its origins as a platform solely invested in how civic education should react to the challenges facing our democracies. Instead, it will evolve into a proactive space that prioritises inclusivity and diversity, making it a vital network for civic education. Younger voices will be encouraged to join the network, which will build on partnerships and insights gained from an extensive mapping of the work of over 400 civic educators from 21 European countries.
Throughout the year, NECE will host and support a range of activities and events, culminating in an annual festival. These initiatives will follow both functional and thematic tracks, addressing the real needs of civic educators as outlined in the brand new report “Great Expectations: Demands and Realities of Civic Education in Europe.”
With these initiatives in place, NECE is poised to become a vibrant and dynamic network, ready to meet the challenges of the future while remaining grounded in its commitment to civic education and democracy bottom-up. We are grateful to the German Federal Agency for Civic Education for the trust and support as we embark on this journey.