Hybrid European Democracy Festival

In 2024, Tartu will be both a digital cosmopolitan city and a green small town. We invite you, a person who cares about the future, for two days of debate at the pan-European Hybrid Democracy Festival and the Opinion Festival of Tartu. You'll get some great food for thought, which you can later share with friends in the saunas of South Estonia or on campuses across Europe.

Story

We are currently facing the biggest challenges since the world wars. We want the diligent and ambitious Europe to be a positive role model for the world again.  

"How to survive..." is the defining question for the organisers of each discussion. As is typical of Tartu, students and higher education institutions play an essential role in the debates. It is the ambitious young people and student organisations that are behind this hybrid festival.  

Experience

Hybrid European Democracy Festival is an opinion festival, with debates taking place in different university towns across Europe, and connections between participants from different countries being established using the latest hybrid reality solutions. At least 15 cities will have physical debate arenas, from which we will be broadcasting the debates to other cities, allowing people to interact with each other without travelling to another country. You will have the opportunity to be present in all these cities at the same time. 

As a pre-event to Paide Opinion Festival, Tartu Opinion Festival will take place on Toomemägi at the same time as the pan-European festival. At the festival, you can discuss paramount topics, meet inspiring people and spend some quality time in the great atmosphere we're already familiar with from Paide. Alongside the debates, you can also enjoy an extensive cultural programme. At the centre of the festival, the Hybrid European Democracy Festival area will feature some of the most prominent speakers and key pan-European topics.

You will get two festivals at once in May 2024 and can use your words to turn the City of Good Thoughts into the capital of Europe.

Impact

We will bring critical alertness to life. How do we survive climate change? How does democracy survive in Europe? How can we value knowledge-based thinking? How to be happy? 

We will create an environment where people from different backgrounds can come together, share their experiences and address local, national and European issues. 

The students of Tartu will regain the courage and initiative to speak up for the future together with other generations. We need your ideas and listening skills - these will be beamed into space in a unique hybrid format.