Democracy in Europe today stands at a crossroads. The democratic values have always been the bare foundation of the European Union, however recently we are witnessing worrying signs of fragility and disengagement, this is particularly noticeable between young people. We live in an era of (mis)information, rise of populism, distrust of institutions and polarization, which are weakening the sense of belonging and participation democracy requires. Young people should be change makers and drivers of Europe’s democratic future, that's why this disconnection is alarming. Many of them lack the skills and confidence to express their views, engage in public life, let alone influence decision-making. Debate in youth works offers the solution. It is not just about argumentation, it's about active listening, analyzing information, respecting opinions and making compromises. Debate ensures the rise of active citizenship, giving a platform for all voices to be heard, and equipping young people with the skills to shape inclusive communities who contribute to democratic societies. This is why training youth workers to apply debate methodologies in their communities is an investment in revitalizing democracy across Europe. Evidence confirms this urgency. A YouGov survey across European countries revealed that only 57% of young people (16–26) still prefer democracy over other forms of government. Alarmingly, 21% said they were “open to authoritarian rule” under certain conditions, while nearly 10% were indifferent about which system should govern. This reflects disenchantment and declining trust, but also a lack of meaningful opportunities for youth to experience how their voices can shape policies and communities. Debate directly addresses this challenge by teaching youth how to engage, challenge, and contribute in democratic processes. Our partner organizations, both within and outside the EU, have observed the same pattern. Whether through weakened institutions or youth disconnection from formal politics, the problem is shared. From the past projects on volunteering and active citizenship, we saw how experiential methodologies successfully built confidence and participation. The toolboxes created during the previous Erasmus+ projects organized by Urbano Opshtestvo remain actively used across NGOs. Building on these outcomes, this project moves from awareness to empowerment by equipping youth workers with debate as a concrete methodology to strengthen resilience and active citizenship. The added value lies in cross-regional exchange: EU partners bring insights into policy frameworks and practices, while non-EU partners highlight grassroots realities, creating mutual learning and transfer of good practices. The main aim is to train and empower 24 youth workers to use debate as a tool for fostering democratic participation, European values, and active citizenship in their communities. Through structured training, simulations, and the co-creation of the Debate 4 Democracy Toolbox, participants will gain innovative methods and confidence to guide young people in dialogue, policy engagement, and civic action at local, national, and European levels. To address the identified needs and achieve the main aim, the specific objectives of the project are to: - Strengthen youth workers’ capacities to use debate methodologies in non-formal education and foster civic engagement, participation, and critical reflection among young people - Provide practical frameworks, tools, and simulations for organizing debates on local, national, and European issues, enabling replication and adaptation in diverse contexts - Promote fact-checking, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning as key competences to counter disinformation and build informed democratic participation - Train youth workers to facilitate inclusive debates where marginalized and minority voices are respected and actively heard - Connect debate practice to European values of democracy, human rights, and citizenship, encouraging young people to see themselves as actors of change - Develop and disseminate Debate 4 Democracy Toolbox, a resource for youth organizations to integrate debating methodologies into youth work - Promote Erasmus+ as a programme that fosters networking, youth participation, democracy and empowerment as well as Youthpass as a recognition too in youth work - Foster intercultural dialogue and cooperation between EU and non-EU organizations and to create sustainable partnership among the 8 involved organizations committed to democracy and youth participation, serving as a base for future projects Through this project, we respond to a pressing societal challenge with a clear, practical solution empowering youth workers to transform democratic fragility into democratic vitality, equipping young people not only to talk about democracy, but to practice and protect it.