Leading EU organisations join forces to build a multilingual and cross-cultural space that will transform deliberative democracy
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, April 28th 2025
In an era marked by the rise of disinformation, increasing polarisation, and threats to democratic values, a European consortium sets out to build an open, multilingual, and cross-cultural space for citizen deliberation. The EU-funded MultiPoD project aims to transform democratic participation across Europe and beyond.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Tackles Challenges to Democracy
Strengthening democracy by fostering citizen engagement and inclusivity is the main objective of MultiPoD, which embarks on its mission at a pivotal moment when, as recently highlighted by President Ursula von der Leyen, “our European values—democracy, freedom, and the rule of law—are under threat.”
“Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are often seen as enablers of disinformation and polarisation. In MultiPoD, we want to expand the narrative and show how the same technologies can also be a force for political equity and participation. The project will enhance inclusivity and promote dialogue, especially for the benefit of linguistic minorities and underrepresented groups,” says Project Coordinator Professor Arno Scharl, Managing Partner of webLyzard technology and Director of the Research Center for New Media Technology at Modul University Vienna.
To transform this vision into reality, Vienna-based Project Coordinator webLyzard technology has brought together a consortium of leading research, technology and social innovation organisations: Decidim Foundation (Spain), ETHOS Lab (Greece), KMOP (Greece), Open Source Politics (France), The Open University (UK), Re-Imagine Europa (Belgium), Storypact (Austria), and the NOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal).
Connecting Diverse Communities with Open, AI-Powered Tools
Cultural and linguistic barriers can make it challenging for citizens to engage in political dialogue. Based on a thorough analysis of obstacles to citizen deliberation, MultiPoD will use technology to interconnect existing communities and increase the transparency of political participation. The project will use the open-source citizen deliberation platform Decidim, whose cohesive, user-friendly experience is already being leveraged by public institutions all over Europe. AI technologies such as a Culture-Specific Language Model (CSLM) and a Knowledge Graph (CSKG) will enable meaningful interactions across linguistic and cultural divides, promoting balanced discussions based on evidence and reducing biases.
A key component of MultiPoD is generative artificial intelligence, which will enrich and expand real-time knowledge extraction and visualisation methods to support political conversations. A dedicated visual analytics dashboard will track inclusion strategies and biases, offering policymakers essential insights. By concentrating on the underlying meaning, MultiPoD’s interactive visualisations aim to promote respectful dialogue and clarify linguistic misunderstandings that can arise from different backgrounds and stylistic differences.
About MultiPoD
MultiPoD is a three-year Research and Innovation Initiative funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. It adopts an open, context-aware, multilingual, and cross-cultural approach to fostering communication and collaboration within a European Public Space for Citizen Deliberation. The project aims to transform democratic participation by bridging cultural and linguistic divides, amplifying marginalised voices, and reshaping the digital landscape of participatory democracy.
