A trans-Atlantic Online Series on Democracy, Elections, and Social Cohesion

Politicians are being attacked, elections are deemed “rigged”, democratic institutions are called into question, checks and balances seem to cause constant gridlock, and extremists are gaining ground… 2024 looks like an election year on both sides of the pond that doesn’t offer much hope for the future.

The sheer force of challenges to our societies - locally, regionally, and globally, including a rapidly changing climate that threatens our very existence - could lead to despair. Yet, it’s up to us to turn things around. How do we restore the fabric of our societies and revive our democracies to make them fit for the tasks ahead?  

In our trans-Atlantic talk series “Across the Pond”, curated and moderated by Dr. Tobias Endler and organized in partnership with Open Embassy for Democracy (OPEM) and University of Cologne New York Office, we will hear two young voters from each side of the Atlantic who share their ideas about how to move forward. What can each one of us do, what does it take to explore new paths? What really works?