Not all heroes wear suits. Some wear avatars—and participate in workshops in virtual parliaments. Some walk through code-built corridors of justice, past digital murals of Global Treaties, and into simulated spaces where democracy is not just studied, but rehearsed.
Welcome to the EU Democracy Campus: a virtual democracy space where civic life is being reimagined by those bold enough to log in and lead. Behind the tech, behind the 3D replicas of Parliament halls and learning hubs, are real people with real stories—people who are transforming participation from a concept into an experience.
Let us take you inside.
🌟 Sofia, 19
Sofia didn’t grow up seeing her voice reflected in political debates. “The EU felt far,” she says. “Like something written in a language I wasn’t meant to speak.” That changed the moment she stood—virtually—at the speaker’s podium in the Parliament simulation and defended a mock policy on climate rights.
Now, she doesn’t just speak the language. She’s translating it. She co-led a multilingual debate on environmental justice, mentors new users, and is designing her own campaign: What Would You Vote For?
She logs in from Lisbon. But in the EU Democracy Campus, she belongs everywhere.
👩🎓 Anna, 42
Anna is a teacher who is used to rely on textbooks to explain democracy. She was actively looking for innovative ways to engage better and deeper her students.
“Then one day, I brought my students into the VR Parliament. They didn’t just learn how laws pass. They lived it. They argued. They laughed. They cared.”
She watched as students who barely spoke in class led policy negotiations on military power. She helped them author their first manifestos.
Now, Anna leads other educators into the EU Democracy Campus, guiding them to create civic lessons that don’t just teach rights—they ignite responsibility.
🌎 Tony, 23
When Tony hosted his first “Voices for Democracy” event in the EU Democracy Campus, he didn’t expect a multilingual, multi-country crowd. Six languages buzzed through the hall, unified by live captions and shared purpose.
“That night,” he says, “felt like the internet I dream of.”
As a volunteer organizer, Tony runs forums on minority rights and electoral integrity. His goal? Make digital democracy feel like belonging—for everyone.
🚀 Lina & Adrian, 23
Two students. One idea. A disinformation exhibit that would live in virtual space and evolve with each visitor. They are building it, filling it with stories of misinformation in elections, and wish users from other countries would add their own memories and warnings.
“We wush it to become a living archive,” says Lina. “Not ours. Everyone’s.”
These aren’t just users. They’re architects of something new. They are designing civic life not from top-down mandates but from ground-up memory, emotion, and play. They blur the lines between citizen and creator.
They are the Civic Heroes of the EU Democracy Campus.
And they are just getting started.
If you’re a teacher with a vision, a young person with a voice, or a citizen tired of waiting to be asked—step in.
Because the future of democracy isn’t just being discussed. It’s being designed.
