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Representatives of the Dunav 1245 Association participated in the international event “Smart Citizens for a Smart Europe”, held from September 10 to 13, 2026 in Klanjec, Croatia, as part of the European Union program CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values).

The event, which was hosted by the City of Klanjec, gathered representatives of local governments, civil society organizations and active citizens from various European countries, with the aim of strengthening democratic values, civic participation and international cooperation.

The central theme of the meeting was media and information literacy, with a special focus on recognizing disinformation, conspiracy theories, hate speech and manipulation of information in the digital space.

During expert lectures, discussions and interactive workshops, participants had the opportunity to exchange experiences and improve their knowledge about the impact of misinformation on democratic processes and public opinion.

Special attention was paid to the topic “Understanding is Knowing: How Disinformation, Conspiracy Theories, and Online Hate Influence Democracy”, which was presented by Tajana Broz from the Faktograf organization. The representatives of the ODRAZ organization, Magdalena Ribarić and Ksenija Vorberger, held a presentation on practical ways of recognizing information manipulations and using fact-checking tools.

In the workshop “How Social Media Algorithms Shape What We See”, led by Tina Andrašek, the role of social network algorithms in shaping the information that citizens are exposed to on a daily basis was discussed, as well as the importance of critical thinking and responsible sharing of content.

The program also included the joint activity “Tree of Truth”, aimed at the promotion of true information, mutual trust and responsible civic action.

In addition to the educational part of the program, the participants had the opportunity to get to know the cultural and historical heritage of Klanjec, Krapina and Varaždin, as well as to exchange experiences and examples of good practice in the field of civic activism and European cooperation through informal meetings.

The participation of the Danube 1245 Association in this event is a contribution to the strengthening of international partnerships, the exchange of knowledge and the promotion of active and responsible citizenship. The experiences gained and the presented examples of good practice are significant for the future activities of the association, especially in the areas of civic education, intercultural dialogue and the inclusion of citizens in democratic processes.

The project “Smart Citizens for a Smart Europe” is implemented with the co-financing of the European Union through the program CERV – Citizens, equality, rights and values.