Participatory Democracy Forum 2025
On October 28 at 10 a.m., we invite you to the eighth Participatory Budgeting Forum, which is expanding this year to become the Participatory Democracy Forum.
This year, we will discuss how to strengthen our culture of participation – from involvement in decision-making to everyday trust in institutions and each other. The theme of the forum is “Participatory Democracy as an Ecosystem”.
We will invite you to look at participatory democracy as an ecosystem – a system in which the sustainability of democracy is determined not by individual institutions or divisions of institutions, but by their ability to maintain relationships, include different voices, and learn to work together.
The aim of this forum is to share experiences and best practices and to seek solutions together on what constitutes a well-functioning participatory democracy ecosystem and how to strengthen cooperation between stakeholders. During the event, we will seek to identify and discuss the most effective practices – from participatory budgets and citizens’ assemblies in municipalities to democratic education initiatives in schools.
The forum will provide an interactive space for discussion, where each participant will have the opportunity to get involved, share their insights and experience, and seek the most effective solutions for citizen engagement and stronger cooperation.
The forum is intended for: local government leaders, community and school representatives, decision-makers, youth workers, experts, academics, and active citizens.
Forum date: October 28, 2025 (Tuesday).
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (arrival from 9:30 a.m.).
Venue: Panorama Hotel (Seinų g. 4, Vilnius).
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Forum program:
09:30–10:00 | Registration, coffee, and tea
10:00–10:30 | Welcome
10:30–12:00 | “What is the ecosystem of participatory democracy and how can it be strengthened?”
In this discussion, we will ask: what constitutes our participatory democracy ecosystem today? How can municipalities, state institutions, and educational communities work better together? What conditions would help ensure that participation is consistent and that democratic initiatives are sustainable and have a long-term impact?
Laura Kairienė, Chief Architect, Vilnius City Municipality
Soneta Blankaitė, Advisor to the Mayor of Tauragė District Municipality
Alma Bulkevičienė, Head of the Public Administration and Local Government Policy Group, Ministry of the Internal Affairs
Unė Kaunaitė, Director, EDU Vilnius
Dr. Rasa Bortkevičiūtė, researcher at Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science and Queen’s University Belfast
12:00–13:15 | Lunch and coffee
13:15–14:45 | “From participation to trust: how to ensure meaningful resident involvement in municipalities?”
In this discussion, we will ask: how are meaningful resident involvement practices created and what determines their quality? How can we reach different groups of people, involve those who are usually left out, and encourage diversity of ideas? What do the experiences of municipalities and schools with participatory budgets show – what measures help to avoid formal involvement and create a dialogue based on trust?
Toma Tuzovaitė-Markūnienė, Advisor to the Mayor of Klaipėda District Municipality
Žaneta Danauskienė, Senior Specialist, Agriculture and Rural Development Department, Kaunas District Municipality
Vaida Budzevičienė, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania on Economic and Social Policy
Aistė Adomavičienė, Head of the National Network of Poverty Reduction Organizations
Prof. Dr. Jaroslav Dvorak, Head of the Department of Public Administration and Political Science, Klaipėda University
12:00–13:15 | Lunch and coffee
13:15–14:45 | “From participation to trust: how to ensure meaningful resident involvement in municipalities?”
In this discussion, we will ask: how are meaningful resident involvement practices created and what determines their quality? How can we reach different groups of people, involve those who are usually left out, and encourage diversity of ideas? What do the experiences of municipalities and schools with participatory budgets show – what measures help to avoid formal involvement and create a dialogue based on trust?
Toma Tuzovaitė-Markūnienė, Advisor to the Mayor of Klaipėda District Municipality
Žaneta Danauskienė, Senior Specialist, Agriculture and Rural Development Department, Kaunas District Municipality
Vaida Budzevičienė, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania on Economic and Social Policy
Aistė Adomavičienė, Head of the National Network of Poverty Reduction Organizations
Prof. Dr. Jaroslav Dvorak, Head of the Department of Public Administration and Political Science, Klaipėda University
2:45–3:05 p.m. | Coffee break
3:05–4:30 p.m. | “How to foster democratic habits and are institutions ready to learn together?”
In this discussion, we will ask: how can we foster democratic habits from school and help young people experience what it means to participate in decision-making? How can schools, municipalities, and state institutions learn from each other to make civic education come alive rather than remain formal? What changes are needed to make institutions more open to young people’s initiatives, cooperation, and listening?
Jonas Petkevičius, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and Sport
Rūta Žiliukaitė, Doctor of Science, political sociologist, civil society research expert, TI Lithuania member
Valerijus Jaglinski, Director of Simono Konarskio Gymnasium in Vilnius
Imantas Umbražiūnas, Deputy Mayor of Ignalina District Municipality
Edita Tamošiūnaitė, Deputy Mayor of Vilnius District Municipality
The forum will be facilitated by Sergejus Muravjovas, a behaviorist, good governance consultant, and TI Lithuania partner.
The participation fee for the forum is €10 (without lunch) or €25 (with lunch). The funds collected will help cover the costs of organizing the forum: event materials, hall and equipment rental, and other event-related expenses.
The forum is organized in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania, the National Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations, and the British Council in Lithuania.
For more information on participatory budgeting initiatives, please visit: www.dalyvaujamasisbiudzetas.lt
If you have any questions, please contact us by email at paulina@transparency.lt or by phone at +370 5 212 69 51.