DEMOFEST 2026: A Festival for Democracy Comes to Thessaloniki

DEMOFEST 2026 is held with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Greece Office and under the auspices of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

Organised by DEMOTRUST, DEMOFEST is the organisation’s first festival dedicated to democracy. Held under the motto “Our Voice for a Democracy that Inspires,” the festival aims to create an open space for exchange, participation and collaboration around democratic rights, civic engagement, social cohesion and democratic culture.

At a time when trust in democratic institutions is facing significant challenges, DEMOFEST seeks to turn one of Thessaloniki’s most prominent public spaces into a forum for information, dialogue and the exchange of ideas — connecting people and organisations working to strengthen democratic participation and civic life.

Civil Society Organisations and Activities at Aristotelous Square

Throughout the day, civil society organisations, youth organisations and grassroots groups from Thessaloniki and beyond will showcase their work, activities and initiatives in a specially designed area at Aristotelous Square.

The festival will provide an opportunity for members of the public to meet these organisations, learn more about their work and engage directly with their initiatives.

Programme of Discussions at OLYMPION

Alongside the activities at Aristotelous Square, the Pavlos Zannas Hall at OLYMPION will host a series of thematic discussions and presentations addressing key issues for democracy today.

The programme will include:

• Two Years of Action for a More Vibrant Democracy
  DEMOTRUST volunteers will present the organisation’s work, identity and activities over the past two years.
• Electoral and Political Literacy in Education
  A discussion with representatives of Youth Municipal Councils and schools, together with a presentation of the ELECTRA educational guide. The session will focus on the role of Youth Municipal Councils and the new Code of Local Government.
• Presentation of DEMOTRUST’s Research
  A presentation of research conducted by DEMOTRUST with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
• Democratic Memory and Thessaloniki
  A discussion exploring democratic memory in Thessaloniki, including DEMOTRUST’s cooperation with organisations in Germany.
• The Resilience of Democracy in the 21st Century
  A central discussion bringing together academics, representatives of local government and civil society to examine the rule of law and the productive model in the context of democratic resilience.

The festival will conclude with live music performances at Aristotelous Square, featuring musical acts from Thessaloniki.

The evening will offer an opportunity to celebrate participation, community and collective action — and to bring the festival’s themes of democratic engagement into the city’s public space.

DEMOFEST 2026 is held with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Greece Office and under the auspices of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.

Admission to all events is free.

Programme [in Greek only]

Poster

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Media Contact

Fotis Kyzakis
+30 698 188 0718
kizakis(at)demotrust.org

About DEMOTRUST

DEMOTRUST is a civil society organisation based in Thessaloniki working in the fields of democratic governance and the rule of law.

Its work focuses, among other areas, on political and electoral literacy, public trust in institutions, participatory governance, transparency and social justice. Through its initiatives, DEMOTRUST seeks to strengthen civic participation and contribute to a more resilient and inclusive democratic culture.