CIVIC-UP: Giving Every Citizen a Voice – A New CERV Journey Begins

CIVIC-UP, is a new two-year CERV 2026 Network of Towns project coordinated by RTIS and led by the Municipality of Thermaikos. With 16 partners from 14 countries, CIVIC-UP empowers refugees, Roma, migrants, LGBTIQ+ individuals, women, youth, elderly and persons with disabilities through citizen science, Citizen Advisory Boards and low-tech outreach. Six network meetings and one hybrid conference will take place across Europe, producing 120 trained community researchers, six Citizen Science Reports and a free Replication Toolkit. The project starts within 2026. After GreenMove, this is our second CERV Networks of Towns success – and we are proud! 🇪🇺

The logo of the project CVIC-UP
A minimalist logo for the EU‑funded project CIVIC‑UP. EU blue (#003399) and EU yellow (#FFCC00). Include a symbol that combines a speech bubble and a circle of 6 dots.

By RTIS Network – Project Coordinator of CIVIC-UP

We are thrilled, proud and deeply honoured to announce the launch of CIVIC-UP – Citizen Inclusion and Voices for Inclusive Communities – Urban Participation! 🎉

Less than two and a half years after coordinating our first CERV Networks of Towns project, GreenMove, RTIS Network is once again taking the lead in writing and coordinating a major European initiative. This time, we are proud to serve as the Project Coordinator of CIVIC-UP, a two-year Network of Towns project under the CERV 2026 – Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme. 🇪🇺

🌍 What is CIVIC-UP?

CIVIC-UP is a 20-month project designed to strengthen democratic participation among marginalised urban groups across Europe. It focuses on refugees, Roma communities, migrants, LGBTIQ+ individuals, women, youth, elderly people and persons with disabilities – groups that too often remain unheard in local decision-making.

Through citizen science, Citizen Advisory Boards (CABs) and low-tech outreach, CIVIC-UP empowers citizens to generate evidence, voice their concerns and influence the policies that affect their daily lives.

The project will officially start within 2026. 📅

🎯 Our Objectives

  • Increase democratic participation of marginalised citizens in six municipalities
  • Establish six permanent Citizen Advisory Boards, formalised through Memoranda of Understanding
  • Train 120 community researchers in citizen science methodology
  • Produce six Citizen Science Reports presented directly to local councils
  • Raise awareness of EU citizenship rights among 70% of participants
  • Ensure 50% representation of women and non-binary individuals in all CABs
  • Achieve 100% accessibility of all project venues and materials
  • Publish a free Replication Toolkit for any European municipality to adopt

🤝 Our Partners – 16 Organisations, 14 Countries

We are proud to work alongside an extraordinary consortium of municipalities, NGOs, universities and development agencies:

  • Municipality of Thermaikos, Greece (Lead Partner)
  • RTIS Network, Greece (Project Coordinator)
  • Municipality of Akamas, Cyprus
  • Biržai District Municipality Administration, Lithuania
  • Western Region of Malta
  • Municipality of Vila Nova de Poiares, Portugal
  • Comune di Calimera, Italy
  • Regional Development Agency South Ltd. Niš, Serbia
  • Zdravi Grad, Croatia
  • Alfred Nobel University, Ukraine
  • Mouvement Européen France Vaucluse, France
  • South-West Oltenia Regional Development Agency, Romania
  • Mesto Kolarovo, Slovakia
  • Ecology and Research Association, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • South-West Estonia Development Centre, Estonia
  • Vidzeme Planning Region, Latvia

Together, we represent a true cross-section of Europe – from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, from the Balkans to the Atlantic. 🌍

✨ The 7 Crucial Activities – Our Journey Across Europe

CIVIC-UP will bring us together in six physical network meetings and one hybrid final conference, each with a unique thematic focus:

  1. 🇬🇷 Thermaikos, Greece – Citizen Science as a Democratic Tool
    Launching the project, training the first cohort and establishing the Greek CAB.
  2. 🇲🇹 Il Marsa, Malta – From Exclusion to Representation
    Roma-led participatory models for local decision-making.
  3. 🇸🇰 Kolarovo, Slovakia – Refugees as Rights-Holders
    Overcoming barriers to democratic participation for refugees.
  4. 🇵🇹 Vila Nova de Poiares, Portugal – Nothing About Us Without Us
    Co-designing accessible democratic spaces for persons with disabilities.
  5. 🇪🇪 Pärnu, Estonia – Democratic Participation Beyond Citizenship Status
    Including non-citizens and elderly residents through low-tech outreach.
  6. 🇨🇾 Akamas, Cyprus – Safe Spaces, Stronger Democracies
    Empowering youth and LGBTIQ+ citizens to lead participatory governance.
  7. 🇫🇷 Vaucluse, France (Hybrid) – Sustaining Civic Innovation
    Presenting results, launching the Replication Toolkit and securing sustainability commitments.

💙 Why We Are So Proud

Coordinating CIVIC-UP is not just another project for RTIS Network. It is a testament to what dedicated teams, committed partners and a shared vision can achieve. After GreenMove, we have now written and coordinated a second successful CERV Networks of Towns project – and this time, we are leading a consortium of 16 partners from 14 countries.

We are proud to be part of a project that does not just talk about inclusion, but actively builds the structures that make it real. We are proud to work with partners who believe that democracy is strongest when everyone has a seat at the table.

And we are proud to represent Greece in a European effort that will leave a lasting legacy for years to come. 🇬🇷🇪🇺

🚀 What’s Next?

The coming weeks are crucial: grant agreement preparation, partner declarations and official validation. The project will officially begin within 2026, and we cannot wait to start this journey with all of you.

Stay tuned for updates, event announcements and opportunities to get involved! 📢

#CIVICUP #CERV #EUfunded #RTISNetwork #GreenMove #CitizenScience #Inclusion #Democracy #EUvalues #NetworksOfTowns #EuropeanProjects #Thermaikos #Greece #Europe

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