NECE Festival 2026
The NECE Festival 2026, held 14‑16 October in Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais, focuses on the theme TRUST in civic education. The event gathers over 200 participants from civil society, politics, academia, media and culture for interdisciplinary exchange. It is structured around three pillars: Trust in democracy – exploring democratic values and governance; Trust in education, civic education and civil society – highlighting the role of educators and NGOs in fostering democratic culture; and Trust in people – promoting interpersonal goodwill, respect and cooperation across differences. The free festival offers networking, presentations of bold ideas, and best‑practice sharing. Organized with the Instituto Padre António Vieira, supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and co‑funded by the EU, registration opens in spring 2026. The programme aims to inspire resilient, ethical and sustainable transformation in European communities.