REDIRECT and DISPOC at the University of Siena took part in Bright-Night 2026 at Santa Maria della Scala in Siena. Many students joined “A Post to Participate,” a participatory World Café designed to encourage discussion about democracy and political participation.
The first part explored the obstacles that prevent young people from making their voices heard. Participants discussed the family as both a source of support and a possible limit to independence, the connection between economic and cultural barriers, and the difficulty of being recognised as fully autonomous adults. They also reflected on social inequalities and on how external expectations can become internalised obstacles to participation.
The discussion then turned to possible solutions. Participants highlighted the importance of belonging to a community, creating accessible public spaces for dialogue and developing a culture of participation through schools and universities. Other proposals included clearer information, communication adapted to young people and social media, greater investment in culture and better organisation of public funding. These themes are central to REDIRECT and its work on the distance between citizens and political institutions.
The workshop concluded by transforming the discussion into three visual posts: “Young, but Only Half a Voice,” on the obstacles faced by young adults; “Participation Is Learned Together,” on education, dialogue and shared spaces; and “From Distance to Voice,” which brought the problems and proposed solutions together. The posts offered a visual summary of the participants’ ideas about what must change for every voice to count.
Location: Santa Maria della Scala, Siena, Italy
Activity: A Post to Participate
Event: Bright-Night 2026
#REDIRECT #Democracy #PoliticalParticipation #YouthParticipation #CivicEngagement #BrightNight2026
