The Council of Europe hosted the Digital Citizenship Forum “Let’s Act Now” on 27–28 May 2025 in Strasbourg, as part of the launch of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025. The aim of this initiative is to support the development and promotion of digital citizenship education across all member states.
The Media & Learning Association took part in the two-day forum, which began with welcome remarks and a keynote from Mevan Babakar, Trust Strategy Manager at Google. The opening plenary explored how digital citizenship education can contribute to democracy in Europe and beyond, especially in today’s challenging political climate.
In the afternoon, the Association shared the work of the EDMO Council on Guidelines for Effective Media Literacy Initiatives and highlighted the “Be Online Smart” campaign being carried out in regional hubs (aim to raise awereness about how algorithms shape our online experience). This was followed by a session focused on parenting in the digital age and the role of families in encouraging responsible digital behaviour.
On the second day, Janice Richardson, a Council of Europe expert, gave a keynote address, followed by a forum talk on online well-being, covering cyberbullying and harassment. The session offered a space for honest discussion around sensitive topics.
The forum ended with a summary of outcomes, reflections from participants, and a call to work together throughout 2025 to support digital citizenship education in both policy and practice.
