Empowering Democracy: PRISMA Joins the CERV 2026 Kick-off in Brussels
11-02-2026
On February 11-12, 2026, Brussels became the focal point for European civic engagement as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme hosted the kick-off meeting for the 2025-OG-SGA grant beneficiaries. Held at COMET LOUISE, this event gathered framework partners and EU officials to align strategies for a pivotal year in European democracy.
A Strategic Vision: The PRISMA Perspective
From the PRISMA point of view, the meeting provided vital insights into the newly presented European Democracy Shield. As an organization dedicated to strengthening the civic space, PRISMA recognizes the urgency of the three pillars outlined by the Commission: safeguarding the information space, strengthening democratic institutions, and boosting societal resilience through active citizen engagement.
A key highlight for our network is the announcement of the European Centre for Democratic Resilience. This initiative will include a Stakeholder Platform designed to facilitate a continuous dialogue between EU institutions, civil society organizations, and fact-checkers—a space where PRISMA intends to be an active and vocal contributor in the fight against disinformation.
Did you know? The European Democracy Shield aims to counter information manipulation through a "whole-of-society" approach, placing civil society at the heart of the "shield" to protect the integrity of our information space.
PRISMA's 2026 Workplan
Our participation in the Brussels kick-off ensures that our local and regional actions are perfectly aligned with the EU Strategy for Civil Society. PRISMA’s activities for 2026 will focus on empowering youth through participatory tools, supporting the EU Democracy Guide, and stimulating innovation via new "civic tech" hubs.
To see the full scope of our planned interventions, workshops, and advocacy efforts, we invite you to explore our comprehensive 2026 Workplan.
As we move forward, PRISMA remains committed to bridging the gap between high-level European policy and grassroots impact, ensuring that the values of equality and rights are protected across all member states.