Mission
The European Women’s Lobby AGORA, offers an enriching 5-day program designed to bring together young feminists from various corners of Europe. The AGORA serves as a vibrant platform for young women, aged 18 to 30, passionate about feminism, gender equality, and women’s rights. Through a participatory summer camp format, the AGORA aims to foster connections, inspire, and empower young feminists. It offers a unique space for skill-building, knowledge exchange, and the exploration of feminist strategies and campaigns. It is a space for young women to bridge gaps, inspire and be inspired, strengthen connections, reinforce skills and hear the voices of other young feminists. Our objective is to empower young women in Europe to be activist leaders in a changing world by giving them a space to share experience, knowledge and ideas. It shall equip and empower young feminists with confidence, skills and a network to become change-makers in their communities.
Herstory
Since launching the project in 2015, EWL has hosted five summer camps, bringing together a total of nearly 250 young women to Brussels for 5 days of learning and exchanging. In November 2019 EWL hosted a workshop on the EWL Young Women’s Engagement Strategy for 29 participants including EWL Board Members, members of national coordinations and Europe-wide organisations, AGORA alumnae, EWL staff, as well as independent participants.
The AGORA experiences and workshops have significantly contributed to shaping the development of the EWL Young Women Engagement Strategy through valuable reflections.
2023 Article
The AGORA is an EWL programme that brings young feminists from all over Europe to Brussels for a 5-day gathering to discuss and explore feminism and learn from each other. It is open to young women aged between 18 and 30 who are keen to connect with other young feminists.
The AGORA 2023 took place from 4-8 September 2023. The theme was Violence Against Women and Girls. The objectives were to create a safe space for young feminist women to network and learn more about feminist topics. The dynamic and intense week was filled with various workshops and presentations by EWL. Key takeaways are the insightful discussions and the recommendations created by the Agora participants.
During the Agora Feminist Summer Camp, participants collectively established six key objectives for the week. These included strengthening European women’s activism, fostering connections among diverse young feminists, and creating a creative platform for activism. The event also aimed to empower young feminist activists and explore the concepts of feminist leadership and power. Additionally, the Agora sought to enhance the European Women’s Lobby’s understanding of the interests, needs, and activities of young feminists, integrating them into future strategies.
Throughout the event, participants achieved significant milestones. They formed a robust network of feminists, embracing the diversity in nationality, gender identity, mobility, age, ethnicity, and knowledge among the group. The Agora provided a safe space for exchanging ideas, forging lasting connections, and building friendships. The program offered workshops and empowerment sessions that not only educated the participants on crucial topics like violence against women but also empowered them to take their activism to the next level. Meeting inspiring feminist leaders, including Barbara Hendricks and members of the European Parliament, motivated participants to envision their own potential as advocates for women’s rights. Moreover, the Agora successfully extracted vital perspectives from young feminists, generating a valuable list of recommendations that will inform future strategies and advocacy efforts.
Do you want to dive into the Agora 2023 experience? Then download the complete reports below.
“This event had a very strong impact on me and helped me greatly both as a feminist and as a professional. I would never have had the opportunity otherwise to meet other young girls who share my same values and with whom I could discuss in a more than safe space. It helped me a lot in formulating my responses, such as in the discussion of prostitution and sex work, while still providing me with new insights. It was very important for me to listen to the workshops of other participants as I learned a lot. One of the most important moments was the meeting with the MEPs, and I believe that this is what I will take away from this experience on a personal level: a greater desire for activism, even on a political level, to ensure that the right decisions are made for women.”
“A key takeaway from the programme is that EWL and its participants are a safe space for learning and support. Another thing is that violence toward women is going on in ever changingforms (especially online) but also in ways that are going on for centuries (sexual violence,forced sterilization etc). The workshop about mentoring is a highlight for me, as we were offered practical advice on how to create our own interventions.”
“The week I spent at AGORA was a very important experience for my future as a feminist. The Sessions enlightened me on the various forms of gender-based violence, and on the relevance of European policy to our everyday lives. Because of AGORA I feel more empowered in my activism. Having a safe space to engage with other feminists and learn about the activism they have been involved in their own countries and communities was very inspiring. InAGORA, we were able to create a network of support and growth, a community of young women that are empowered to fight for gender equality in Europe and the world.”
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The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest umbrella organization of women’s associations in the European Union, working to promote women’s rights and gender equality.
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