The envisaged objectives included: -To provide vulnerable young people with an in-depth understanding of democratic principles and processes. -To instil the importance of tolerance, plurality and other fundamental values in a democracy. -To motivate young people to become actively involved in political and decision-making processes. -To ensure that all young people have equal opportunities to participate in public life. -To facilitate access to democratic knowledge in a youth-friendly and understandable way. -To design educational materials that are attractive and relevant to young people. -To share experiences, networks and resources among different nations to enrich the project. -To create an accessible and flexible tool for learning democratic concepts. A priority has been to teach common values, civic engagement and youth participation, and to promote inclusion and diversity. By focusing on democratic literacy, the project seeks to empower young people to understand and apply democratic values, thus facilitating the acceptance of diversity of opinion and the recognition of the importance of conflicts of interest in a democratic society.
The ABCDemocracy project was created to address the critical needs of vulnerable young people in Europe by improving their democratic literacy and encouraging their active participation in society. Civic education is essential for a free and peaceful society, as it enables individuals to know and exercise their rights. Democratic literacy involves understanding and applying democratic concepts, which are crucial for political participation and self-determination. The project focuses on these young people and their needs: -Lack of basic knowledge of democratic principles and processes, which limits their participation in social and political life and makes them susceptible to marginalisation. -Vulnerability to misinformation and fake news, spread through social networks, which makes them susceptible to extremist and radical ideas, especially in times of crisis. -Lack of exposure to principles such as tolerance and plurality, leading to less acceptance of diverse opinions and a greater propensity to social conflict. -Barriers to accessing understandable and relevant information about democracy and their rights, needing educational resources that are accessible, interesting and adaptable to their specific contexts.