In an era marked by the rise of disinformation, increasing polarisation, and threats to democratic values, KMOP joins forces with a European consortium to build an open, multilingual, and cross-cultural space for citizen deliberation.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Tackles Challenges to Democracy
Strengthening democracy by fostering citizen engagement and inclusivity is the main objective of the MultiPoD* project, 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.”
“At KMOP, we recognise the transformative potential of digital technology, in fostering inclusive, transparent, and constructive democratic dialogue. Through the MultiPoD project, we are working to bridge divides—geographical, social, and cultural—by enabling citizens to come together across borders and engage in meaningful deliberation on shared challenges. By ensuring equal participation and amplifying voices that are often underrepresented, we contribute to a more resilient and representative public sphere. Strengthening trust in democratic processes requires not just innovative tools, but a renewed commitment to dialogue that respects diversity and builds common ground. MultiPoD is a step towards more participatory and equitable decision-making for all” says Yiannis Pappas, Head of Programmes at KMOP.
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 and knowledge graph 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.
*MultiPoD has been funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme (HORIZON) under grant agreement No. 101178821. Discover more at: multipod-project.eu.
