How to live democracy and win prizes?! We’re looking for creative short videos (max. 3 minutes) that show how people put democratic values into practice, in schools, communities, workplaces, or everyday life. It can be your own story or a story that inspired you. The best videos will be rewarded with prizes worth 200€, 150€ and 100€ and will be presented at the websites of ILEU e.V. and at the Danube festival in July 2026.
Who can join? Interested individuals of all ages from the Danube region and other European cities who want to get involved in an international level. School classes, youth groups, senior initiatives, mixed groups young and old, and all who are engaged in democratic action are welcome to participate as well.
Groups: For initiatives or collectives (e.g., school classes, youth groups, friend groups) that demonstrate strong teamwork and community impact.
Individuals: For personal contributions that show originality, motivation, and commitment to democratic values.
Special “Young & Old”: For intergenerational projects that, connect different age groups in democratic action.
Final Submission: Deadline for video submission December 18, 2025
After your registration you`ll get a link for video uploading
Optional: Take part on our online Workshops to develop your video creation skills
Create your video (max. 3 minutes).
Send the link to the video with a short description to: democracy@ileu.net
You need help for Video creation? Apply for our online Workshops “training on video creation” until November 19, 2025.
We offer two Workshops with David Fichtner on 20. November about basic knowledge and 25. November about advanced knowledge, both days from 6.00 pm until 7.30 pm (CET). The sessions will be held in English, with possible translation into German, Bulgarian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Serbian. If you need translation let us know for organisational reasons.
Your video should focus on one of the following approaches:
Presentation of experiences and impact of yourself or your group in promoting democratic values.
Presentation of the activities of an existing group that is engaged with democracy-related topics.
Design, implementation, and presentation of a concrete action that demonstrates democratic participation in practice.
Interviews with people who are active in the field of democracy, sharing their ideas and perspectives.
You can use your native language in the video, but please add English subtitles.
Evaluation & Prizes A jury will review all submissions and select the best videos. The prizes will be worth 200, 150 and 100 euros and the winner will be announced on January 15.
Dear colleagues and friends from Europe and other areas
We cordially invite you to the 100th Session – Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture”
Time and date: Sunday, 19th of October 2025, 06.30 pm (German time), in some of your countries 07.30 pm, in other ones 05.30 pm.
This Sunday you are invited to our 100th Come Together Session where we will have a review of the Highlights from the last 99 Sessions and you have the opportunity to share with us what Come Together means for you! We are honored that Mrs. Gisela Erler will share some opening greetings with us and that we can welcome the Vice Mayor of Slivo Pole, Mrs. Borislava. Discover with us the beginnings of Come Together, what effect the Sessions had on confirming community building and how they helped to fostering European Identity. Together, we will also take a moment to remember those who shaped the sessions with their presence and passion but are no longer with us. Poems and songs from different countries will accompany the entire session, a true celebration of connection, culture, and togetherness.
Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU e.V.) will moderate this session.
Dear colleagues and friends from Europe and other areas,
we cordially invite you to the 99th Session– Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture!”
Time and date: Sunday, 7th of September 2025, 18:30 h (German time), in some of your countries 19:30, in other ones 17:30.
This Sunday, you’re invited to a special session dedicated to summer and travel! Discover fascinating and inspiring places in Serbia and Montenegro that will spark your wanderlust. Enjoy a delightful selection of German, Romanian, and Bulgarian poems and songs, sure to entertain and uplift you.
Join us at the Come Together meeting — we can’t wait to see you there!
This session will be moderated by Ana Zlibut (Writers’ League Timisoara Banat Branch) and Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU e.V., Germany).
Dear colleagues and friends from the Danube Region and other European countries,
we cordially invite you to the 98th Session – Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture!”
Time and date: Sunday, 22nd of June 2025, 18:30 (6.30 pm) German, Spanish and Italian time, some countries 7.30 pm (19:30) (Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian, Ukrainian time), in other countries 5.30 pm (17.30) (in England)
We invite you to enjoy piano music of a Spanish university student, traditional songs by Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Serbian singers. You will learn about Estonia as the European country with the most developed information technology, which will be presented by Estonian university students. We will discuss travelling around the Danube countries including a report by Carmen about their travel through the Danube countries in May. You will find out about the First Festival in Borisovo, Bulgaria, which can be visited in 2026.
This session will be moderated by Emiliya Velikova (University of Ruse, Bulgaria) and Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU e.V., Germany)
• Коли заснули сині гори (eng. When the blue mountains fell asleep) – a song, performance by Sofia Tkachuk (Odessa, Ukraina)
• Beauty and the Beast – performance with electronic piano by Luna Garbín Benítez, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Barcelona, Spain)
• „Estonia – a country of IT innovations“ – a presentation by Aleksandr Bondarev, Vladyslav Neviazanyi, Ilja Nikolajev, NIkolai Filippov, Baddar Hani Badr Abobakr, Jekaterina Maslova (Virumaa College of Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia) by Anđela Terek (Gudurica, Serbia) Stadelhofer (Ulm, Germany)
• U livadi pod jasenom (eng. In the meadow beneath the ash tree) – a traditional song performance
• In a campervan through the Danube countries – ViMA group of interest, a presentation by Carmen
• Discussion – How do you plan your travels?
• Фестивал “Баница вита и златна пита” (eng. Festival „Banitsa and Golden Bread“) – a presentation by Pavlina Ivanova, President of the Union of Pensioners of the Slivo Pole Municipality (Borisovo, Bulgaria) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emiliya Velikova, University of Ruse (Ruse, Bulgaria)
• Георги на Рада думаше (eng. George says to Radha) – a song, performance by the group for authentic folklore „Grandmothers from Brashlen“, (Brashlen, Bulgaria)
Dear colleagues and friends from the Danube region and other European countries
We cordially invite you to the 97th international session by Videoconferencing: Come together! Connecting people by culture!
Time and date: Sunday, 09.03.2025, 6:30 p.m. (CET), in some of your countries 7:30 p.m., in other ones 5:30 p.m.
In celebration of International Women´s Day, we are excited to offer a special session that is not to be missed! Prepare for an evening filled with inspirational presentations on women´s education, gender equality, and the remarkable stories of women from the Danube region. Join us in celebrating the female power and the remarkable achievements of women everywhere!
This session will be moderated by Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU e.V.)
We cordially invite you our very a special, different kind of Come Together session: “Come together, Cook together!”
Time and date: Tuesday, 25th of February 2025, 6.30 p.m. (CET), some countries 7.30 p.m. (Bulgaria and Romania), in other countries 5.30 p.m. (in England).
You think cooking together via video conferencing doesn’t work?
Why not try it out with us! We had such a nice evening with you during our last “Come together, Cook together” that we’re excited to invite you to join us for another fun and delicious evening! Let’s chop, chat, and have a memorable evening together!
This time Bertram will prepare Spaghetti al Limone – a recipe he was introduced to by his Sardinian friend Gabriele. It tastes delicious and is easy to cook!
We provide the recipe with the ingredients you need and in the end we can all eat together a wonderful meal via Zoom.
You can download the recipe in different languages here:
If you enjoy cooking or would like some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.
Don’t forget – the best parties take place in the kitchen!
The session will be in English, please let us know for organisation reasons if you plan to join so we see which translation would be required. Please write to danect@ileu.net
Danube Networkers invite: Come Together – Connecting people by culture!
Dear colleagues and friends from Europe and other areas,
we cordially invite you to the 95th Session – Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture”
Time and date: Sunday, 16th of February 2025, 18:30 h (German time), in some of your countries 19:30, in other ones 17:30.
This Sunday you are invited to learn more about Romania through interesting presentations realized by participants from different regions of Romania, poem, beautiful songs and musical score at Taragot, a woodwind instrument. Let`s discover together Romania!
This session will be moderated by Ana Zlibut (Writers’ League Timisoara Banat Branch) and Marina Kuch (ILEU)
We cordially invite you to the 94th Session – Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture!”
Time and date: Sunday, 22nd of December 2024, 18:30-20.00 (6.30-8.00 pm) German, Italian and Serbian time, some countries 7.30 pm (19:30) (Bulgaria and Romania), in other countries 5.30 pm (17.30) (in England).
You’re invited to our special Christmas Come Together Session filled with music, poems and traditions from the Danube region! We’ll enjoy a variety of Christmas carols and performances from Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Serbia, and Ukraine. Additionally, you will learn the meaning of the Romanian dessert Cozonac and how it is made (maybe it will inspire you to try it yourself 🙂 ). Join us for our Christmas get together!
This session will be moderated by Marina Kuch (ILEU, Germany)
Dear colleagues and friends from Europe and other areas,
we cordially invite you to the 93rd Session – Danube-Networkers invite: “Come together! Connecting people by culture!” :
“Ukraine–Exploring its Land, Culture, and People” presented by Ukrainian refugees and partners of ILEU from Ukraine
Time and date: Sunday, 1st of December 2024, 18:30-20.00 (6.30-8.00 pm) German, Italian and Serbian time, some countries 7.30 pm (19:30) (Bulgaria and Romania), in other countries 5.30 pm (17.30) (inEngland)
Ukrainian refugee women in Ulm and (if the energy supply allows it) some Ukrainian partners living in Ukraine will present their beloved country – geography, nature, culture, education and more.
The lecture is prepared by a group of refugees in Ulm and will be held in German with translation into English, Bulgarian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Serbian. It is a big challenge for them, but they want to show us how wonderful their country is and that there are many things we don’t know about.
Please come numerously, it is a real discovery tour and a true sign of solidarity!
This session will be moderated by Carmen Stadelhofer (Ulm, Germany) and Olha Antonenko (Ulm, Germany / Odessa, Ukraine)
Dear colleagues and friends from Europe and other areas,
we cordially invite you our very a special, different kind of Come Together session!
“Come together, Cook together!”
Time and date: Friday, 29th of November 2024, 18:30-20.00 (6.30-8.00 pm) German, Italian and Serbian time, some countries 7.30 pm (19:30) (Bulgaria and Romania), in other countries 5.30 pm (17.30) (inEngland)
You think cooking together via video conferencing doesn’t work?
Why not try it out with us! As some of you may know during our project Vives we regularly cooked together online. We met for an informal and cosy evening from kitchen to kitchen, tried out recipes and then enjoyed eating what we have created! We would now like to revive this wonderful format on an international scale and cordially invite you to join us this Friday!
Our dear colleague Gabriele Flemming will prepare one of her favourite winter dishes and you are welcome to cook along: Carrot/ginger soup and as dessert Apples baked with goat’s cheese or sheep’s cheese and honey – we provide the recipe with the ingredients you need and in the end we can all eat together a wonderful meal together via Zoom.
If you enjoy cooking or would like some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t forget – the best parties take place in the kitchen!
