Networking & Advocacy



NECE was established almost two decades ago with the aim of promoting common ground in civic education throughout Europe. The initiative was launched in Santiago de Compostela by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), recognizing the need for civic education to evolve into a pan-European field.
Today, NECE’s new structure will be a proactive space that prioritizes inclusivity and diversity, becoming a vital network for civic education. Younger voices will be encouraged to join, building on partnerships and insights gained from an extensive mapping of the work of over 400 civic educators from 21 European countries.
Read more about the history of NECE
Since its inception, NECE has focused on exploring past and present issues relevant to civic education, such as history, migration, populism, globalization, and social inclusion. In carrying out this important work, NECE has been supported by a circle of partners and an advisory board, which brought diverse expertise and resources. However, NECE faced three main challenges: it was a platform instead of a network, there was limited activity between conferences, and it was over-reliant on one supporter.
To address these issues, THE CIVICS applied to the Europe-wide idea challenge with its concepts to make NECE into a multistakeholder network in the next three years (2023 – 2025). This transformation involves a new management structure, spread across three hubs in Europe, with a newly composed NECE Consortium and Jury.
NEW NECE ACTIVITIES
Throughout the year, NECE will host and support a range of activities and events, culminating in an annual Festival. These initiatives will follow both functional and thematic tracks, addressing the real needs of civic educators as outlined in the new report “Great Expectations: Demands and Realities of Civic Education in Europe”.
NECE Labs and NECE Magazine will be the spaces for in-depth and focused work on specific topics, target groups, advocacy issues, and more. These initiatives will be highlighted at the NECE Campus, a year-round platform providing space for educators to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and grow. Additionally, the NECE Newsletter and community-building communication will celebrate the work of educators while providing space for announcements, capacity-building opportunities, and opportunities for joint work.
CIVIC INNOVATION FUND
Finally, THE CIVICS team is committed to pooling additional resources and launching the first ever explicit trans-national fund for civic education to fund innovative, unusual, bold and scalable ideas.
Stay tuned for further information on the CIVIC INNOVATION FUND.

Don’t miss out on the chance to shape the future of NECE! Subscribe to our updates, as we will soon be launching the call for ideas for the NECE Festival 2023 in Madrid (30 November – 2 December), which is dedicated to the theme of FUTURES. As a co-shaper, you will have the opportunity to contribute your expertise, creativity, and innovative ideas to help shape the festival’s agenda and activities. We look forward to hearing from you!
Connect via nece@thecivics.eu!