Political Participation for All – Towards a Europe of Equals

On Thursday, 20 November 2025, as part of the CoFestival at Kino Šiška in Ljubljana, a Citizens’ Assembly on the political participation of migrants in Slovenia—“Political Participation for All – Towards a Europe of Equals”—took place. The assembly brought together more than 130 participants, primarily migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and representatives of organizations working in the fields of participation, inclusion, and integration (including public officials and members of international organizations). Together, we discussed issues related to participation, visibility, and representation of migrants in Slovenia. The event also aimed to develop solutions, proposals, and recommendations through collective dialogue.

Participants explored questions such as: What does participation actually mean? Are migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers truly included in society? What are we already doing within our communities? What challenges do we face daily—and how can we address them together? If problems seem overwhelming, what can we still do? Do you feel seen and included in society? Do you feel a sense of belonging? And is this sometimes difficult?

Given the diverse linguistic backgrounds of participants, the assembly was conducted in several languages and interpreted into English, Slovene, Bosnian, Arabic, and Turkish.

The gathering was moderated by Aigul Hakimova, while the overall concept of the event and the introductory address on the political participation of migrants was prepared by Lana Zdravković. The event was opened by Rok Vevar, representing the CoFestival, who emphasized that the history of dance is a history of migration. Special guests from abroad included Sebastian Berchesan (Stand Up for Europe, Belgium), Konstantina Vougiouka and Ariadne Ntamparaki (PROSVASI, Greece), Qendresa Mejzini (Democracy International, Germany), Michele Fiorillo (Scuola Normale Superiore and Civico.eu – CitizensTakeOver.eu, Italy), and Ada Rafalska (Alliance4Europe, Netherlands).

In the second part of the event, participants divided into four thematic working groups: 1. Housing Issues (moderator: Daniel Nzotam), 2. Language (moderator: Katja Utroša), 3. Racism and Discrimination (moderators: Hasan Alhallaq and Moad) and 4. Working Conditions and Labour Rights (moderator: Tadej Pavković).

The goal of the assembly is to formulate recommendations that will be publicly presented and forwarded to relevant institutions, including the Municipality of Ljubljana, the Ministry of the Interior, the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants, and the Info Point for Foreigners.