# Event Details - **Event Name**: Speak Up Final conference - **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 06 Oct, 2026 at 09:30 am – Tue, 06 Oct, 2026 at 05:00 pm (+02:00) - **Event Description**: 13 Partners in 7 countries show how participation by design can help build trust in local government and democracy!About this Event https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/73e05890-b7cc-11f1-a0c3-dd4f6ea92b07-rimg-w1200-h487-dcf8f8f8-gmir.jpg Join us on October 6th at Forum Groningen for the SPEAK Up! final conference, bringing together academics, practitioners, and citizens to explore how citizen participation can strengthen cooperation between citizens and government.The programme will feature presentations and interactive workshops led by academics and civil servants, alongside panel discussions on different approaches to public participation.The conference will also offer an opportunity to exchange experiences directly with local governments from seven countries involved in the SPEAK Up! Interreg project, representing a wide range of public participation initiatives. Insights, lessons, and challenges from the project will feed into the discussions throughout the day.Register now, we'll keep you informed final program and details of the different talks and workshops!See the event-webpage for details and information on the speakers, the talks and the workshops, or sign up for our newsletter for the latest news! https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/73f39270-b7cc-11f1-a0c3-dd4f6ea92b07-rimg-w887-h740-dca8c8f8-gmir.jpg Agenda🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AMRegistration, doors open🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AMOpening and welcome by mayor Roelien Kamminga🕑: 10:15 AM - 10:50 AMKeynote by Prof. Laura Smith: From Polarisation to Collective Intelligence Info: Professor Laura G.E. Smith from Bath University, examines the risks and threats that arise from using digital communication technologies and AI, as well as the opportunities these technologies offer to encourage political engagement and build trust. Key to this is understanding how human psychology and behaviour interact with the affordances of digital communication technologies. She finishes by outlining an empowerment-by-design agenda in which people are kept in the loop, and technologies are used to surface shared ground. This way, technology can serve as infrastructure for cohesion rather than chaos. 🕑: 10:50 AM - 11:15 AMCoffee break🕑: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PMCelebrating Speak UpInfo: We will showcase the Speak Up results: what makes a citizen assembly a success (panel discussion with partners and the scientific results by Prof Dr. Namkje Koudenburg) and presentation of the Speak Up Online Learning environment by the Hannah Arendt Institute🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PMLunch🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PMAfternoon program with a choice of workshopsInfo: Workshops and presentations by Prof. Dr. Kees van den Bos (Utrecht University), Dr Marc Pauly (University of Groningen), Urban Strandberg (International Youth Think Tank), Dr. Marleen Gillebaart (Utrecht University) ,Holger Meyer Højlund (VIA Aarhus), the Sterk Hoogkerk Project and more!🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:30 PMTea break🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:00 PMSpeak Up: the LegacyInfo: A lively paneldiscussion: how do we make participation and the lessons of Speak Up business as normal, how do we ensure that local governments embrace and adopt participation by design?🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:05 PMWrap up🕑: 04:05 PM - 05:00 PMDrinks at the balcony of Groningen, The Nok Restaurant! - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/groningen/speak-up-final-conference/100001999251744787 - **Event Categories**: fitness, Workshops, Business - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 7 hours 30 minutes - Location: Forum Groningen - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: EUR ## Event venue details - **city**: Groningen - **state**: GR - **country**: Netherlands - **location**: Forum Groningen - **lat**: 53.2190227 - **long**: 6.5703668 - **full address**: Forum Groningen, 1 Nieuwe Markt, Groningen, Netherlands ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Speak Up Final conference - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/522e9d422e26400141b921eb8eb3a3b181205a8be29277ea3d937e5e55bbbcc1-rimg-w1200-h900-dcb8e8d8-gmir.jpg?v=1789616775 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Speak Up Final conference being held? - **A:** Speak Up Final conference takes place on Tue, 06 Oct, 2026 at 09:30 am to Tue, 06 Oct, 2026 at 05:00 pm at Forum Groningen, 1 Nieuwe Markt, Groningen, Netherlands. - **Q**: Who is organizing Speak Up Final conference? - **A:** Speak Up Final conference is organized by Speak Up. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Speak Up Final conference is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Groningen, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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