Where deliberative practice meets.
A conference for practitioners, public officials, political parties, NGOs, and funders to move this field from the margins to the mainstream.
To build the infrastructure, lift the standards, and create the political will to make it permanent.
From novel to normal: deliberation as democratic infrastructure
Democracy runs on public infrastructure. Independent judiciaries, electoral systems, public education: these are not optional features. They are the foundations the whole system rests on. When they erode, the model erodes with them.
Deliberation belongs in the same category. More than 1,000 deliberative processes have been run around the world. More than 80,000 citizens have contributed to decisions on constitutional reform, national legislation, and public spending. The evidence is there. What is missing is the commitment to treat this as infrastructure, not experiment.
Designing policy without citizen participation is like laying foundations without soil tests. You might move faster at first. Long-term stability comes from understanding the ground you are building on.
FIDE Forum 2026 is a space to do the work that makes deliberation last.
Program
The programme overview includes the daily schedule, session formats, and track options for FIDE Forum 2026.
The Forum will take place at Kulturhaus Brotfabrik, Absberggasse 27, 1100 Vienna, Austria, on November 18 and 19.
The venue for the pre and post program days has not yet been confirmed.
HOW TO REGISTER
Fill out the registration form and tell us a bit about yourself and your organization.
We review registrations on a rolling basis and will confirm or decline your participation within two weeks of submission. Once confirmed, we will issue an invoice using the details provided in your form. Payment is due within 30 days.
Registration closes Friday, October 30.
Supported by
Past editions
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![A panel discussion featuring three women seated, with one actively speaking into a microphone while gesturing.]()
Democracy at a Crossroads, Democracy R&D
2025
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![Three panelists engage in discussion at an event, with one speaking into a microphone while the others listen attentively.]()
From Votes to Voices
2024
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![A man with glasses laughs while speaking into a microphone during a discussion, gesturing enthusiastically.]()
Europe, for a citizens-led policy
2023
