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TCA Riga 2025: Strengthening European values through digital participation
28–30 October 2025 | Riga, Latvia
From 28 to 30 October 2025, Riga hosted one of the most significant Training and Cooperation Activities (TCA) of the Erasmus+ year: Strengthening EU Values through Digital Participation.
The following day, the work moved to the prestigious National Library of Latvia, where institutional and thematic speeches were held dedicated to the role of European and digital citizenship.
Among the speakers, Marita Kroiča opened the day by highlighting the contribution of the Erasmus+ program to strengthening civic participation, followed by Yiannis Vacondios from the European Commission and Professor Paul Blokker from the University of Bologna, who analyzed the value of democratic principles as the foundation of European civic engagement.
Subsequently, Cristina Bacalso presented “Participation in the 21st Century”, while Ahmet Murat Kılıç from the Council of Europe addressed the topic of digital citizenship education and online safety.
In the afternoon, participants split into working groups to delve deeper into various topics related to active participation. The workshop “Digital Participation: challenges and solutions”, coordinated by Ireta Čekse, offered a discussion on challenges and good practices related to digital citizenship in different European countries, with a focus on concrete tools and projects already implemented at local and national levels.
The day ended with a guided tour of the historic center of Riga, which allowed participants to discover the city's multicultural history, followed by a gala dinner at the House of the Black Heads, a symbol of Latvian cultural heritage and the ideal setting for a moment of exchange between cultures and professionals in the sector.
The last morning began with a collective group activity to restore focus after the intense previous days. The program then included a series of presentations on European projects and platforms related to civic and digital participation: manabalss.lv, which allows those living in Latvia to propose online petitions; Signal Elections, focused on transparency in democratic processes; PEACE+, presented by Matteo Minà from INDIRE and dedicated to cooperation and peace education; The SciLMi Teacher Academy, introduced by Maria Steger from EduNet Europe; and Human Rights Guide in the EU, presented by Arina Melse from the Baltic Human Rights Society.
The event was concluded by Līga Bērziņa from uzvediba.lv, with a summary and planning session that invited everyone to turn what they had learned into new actions in their local contexts. The closing lunch provided an opportunity for a final exchange of contacts and to thank the Latvian organization for their hospitality.
The TCA Riga 2025 represented a laboratory of ideas, experiences, and European collaborations, confirming the role of the Erasmus+ program as a meeting space between education, technology, and shared values. The three days demonstrated how digital participation represents a fundamental dimension of active citizenship, capable of promoting inclusion, dialogue, and democracy throughout Europe.
