On 7 September 2026, Transitions co-organized a pre-conference at the ECREA 2026 European Communication Conference in Brno, “Communication and Democratic Resilience: Perspectives and Pathways,” together with the Communication, Defence Willingness and Democratic Resilience research group at Lund University. The partnership brought together academic and field perspectives in a shared exploration of how communication can strengthen democratic resilience.
The day drew participants from across Europe, including researchers, communication practitioners, and representatives of civil society and public institutions, all engaged in lively exchange on the challenges facing democratic communication today.
“What struck me most was how naturally research and practice fit together in the room,” said Jaroslav Valůch, who co-organized the event on behalf of Transitions. “We weren’t talking past each other, we were building on each other’s work, and that is exactly the kind of exchange democratic resilience communication needs right now.”
Transitions also had the opportunity to present some of our own work, including our approach to solutions journalism and our media literacy programs designed for older adults and seniors, contributing a practical, field-tested angle to the day’s discussions.
It was a genuinely rewarding day of ideas, connections, and good company (capped off with a dinner of dumplings and svíčková), and we look forward to building on the momentum with our new network of colleagues in the months ahead.
Photos by Jaroslav Valůch. Above: Meenal Thakur presenting Transitions’ work on solutions journalism; Kateřina Lukaničová presenting Transitions’ media literacy projects for seniors.