Democracy Prize 2024: CLLD Dolomiti Live

A prestigious award for the Regionsmanagement Osttirol (RMO) and the Interreg CLLD strategy “Dolomiti Live”: The RMO was honored with the Democracy Prize 2024 at the Austrian Parliament. The award recognizes its vital role in promoting democratic education outside of major urban centers.

During a festive ceremony, Gina Streit accepted the award on behalf of Regionsmanagement Osttirol. The prize, granted by the Margaretha Lupac Foundation, serves as a validation of years of successful work within the Interreg Italy-Austria program. The jury highlighted the ability of the CLLD strategy “Dolomiti Live” (comprising East Tyrol, South Tyrolean Pustertal, and Belluno) to build bridges and break down barriers across national borders and generations.

Overview of the award-winning priorities:

• Intergenerational Democratic Education: The RMO implements projects throughout the Dolomite region that bring together people of all ages.
• Cross-border Formats: Democracy projects for adults and school initiatives featuring specialized workshops strengthen political awareness in the border region.
• Democracy in Rural Areas: The jury was particularly impressed by how effectively democratic education can take place far from large metropolitan areas.

CLLD: Citizen Participation as a Success Model
This award underscores the strength of the CLLD (Community-Led Local Development) approach. By involving local stakeholders and the general public, Europe becomes tangible at the local level. The RMO demonstrates that Interreg funding also sustainably strengthens social cohesion and fundamental democratic values within the region.

Alongside the success for East Tyrol, journalist Barbara Coudenhove-Kalergi was honored for her life’s work. The 2025 Science Prize was awarded to Zoe Lefkofridi (Salzburg) and Jürgen Pirker (Graz), whose research on democracy and minority rights provides essential scientific impetus for coexistence in Europe.