Democracy and Technology — a foresight pilot workshop organised by the Technology Centre Prague — will take place on 13 March 2026 in Prague.

Democracy, its principles, as well as societal challenges and public debates are increasingly influenced by new and emerging technologies. To strengthen democratic principles, participation, public engagement, and citizens’ understanding of technology-related policies and strategies, it is necessary to deepen research into the interactions between technology and society. This also requires examining potential health, environmental, ethical, and other risks associated with new technological applications, as well as their impacts on different societal groups (for example, age groups, women and men, and social groups).

This face-to-face workshop with citizens will focus on assessing the impacts of new technologies on society and democracy as a whole. With a group of 30–50 participants, various long-term scenarios and their key drivers will be discussed and developed through group discussions. The workshop will use the Manoa foresight method, which explores long-term impacts and their interconnections by considering current weak signals, trends, and ongoing changes. The method incorporates cultural, environmental, and other assumptions, not only technological or economic factors. The outcomes may include surprising or even radical scenarios, encouraging participants to expand their imagination and test strategies under extreme conditions.

The workshop is open to the general public. Participation requires being at least 18 years old, having completed primary education, and ensuring gender balance among participants. Everyone who wishes to contribute to the topic is welcome, drawing on their own experience as citizens who use modern technologies daily and live in democratic societies that are increasingly challenged by geopolitical changes.

The workshop is part of a series of “Eye of Europe” pilot activities taking place during 2026, aimed at exploring possible futures and their implications for research and innovation (R&I) policy.

Date: 13/03/2026
Location: Ve Struhách 27, Prague 6, Czech Republic
Format: In-person

For more information, please contact: vacatkova@tc.cz

The report provides a brief overview of the insights captured during the second Mutual Learning Event (MLE2) which was held online on September 26, 2024.
The MLE2 addressed topic of policy oriented communication of foresight results.
The topic brought information on:
• The strategies for effective communication of foresight results to policymakers and gaining stakeholders buy-in,
• The role of clear communication in translating foresight into actionable policies,
• Fostering foresight in R&I policy making process,
• Translating of complex foresight results into clear, concise and policy relevant messages,
• The identification of key stakeholders in policy making process,
• Tailoring engagement strategies.
The format of the Mutual Learning Events is designed with an emphasis on the interactive sessions where all participants can share their experience, ideas and questions. As part of the last event, group and plenary discussions in three interactive sessions were framed by five keynotes.

The following MLE2 highlights emerged from the discussion:
• Forward-looking activities face a range of challenges in communication,
• Presenting data only seems to be insufficient for the modern communication of foresight results,
• The rapid evolution of digital technology including generative AI and social media offer for foresight practitioners new approaches to communicate,
• Different media can be used for targeting different groups of audience,
• Tailoring forward-looking messages for different audiences is an approach to avoiding misunderstanding or misinterpretation,
• Uncertainty may also depend whether the forward-looking activities can predict future risk and benefits., therefore is always necessary to rely on evidence-based materials.
Five MLEs are planned in the Eye of Europe project, a Horizon Europe project which aims to enhance the integration of foresight practices into Research & Innovation policy-making across Europe and to foster a vibrant, cohesive R&I foresight community that contribute significantly, as a collective intelligence to shaping and guiding policy decisions. The third Mutual Learning Event “Integration of Foresight into the Research & Innovation Policy Cycle will be held on January 21st, 2025 also in an online format. The event will open a discussion on the need for adaptive and flexible policy frameworks to respond to rapidly changing technological, economic and societal landscapes.

All Eye of Europe MLEs are organized by the Technology Centre Prague (TC), Eye of Europe partner and key Czech national think tank and academia based NGO with a rich experience with knowledge-based policy making support and participatory as well as expert based foresight activities.

How to build foresight capacities within the public sector - join our knowledge sharing session, where Alexandre presents results and insights from past foresight projects, as well as perspectives for the future(s) of foresight in Czechia.

In the last 2 years, České priority delivered foresight studies for various clients within the Czech public sector (Office of the Government, Municipality of Prague) and is currently setting up its own project aiming at building foresight capacities within the public sector. This session will thus cover the results and insights from past foresight projects, as well as perspectives for the future(s) of foresight in Czechia.

About Alexandre Reznikow

Alexandre Reznikow is a researcher and policy analyst in the independent think-tank "Czech priorities" (České priority ), which aims at promoting and supporting evidence-informed decision making in the Czech public sector.

The report provides a brief overview of the insights captured during the second Mutual Learning Event (MLE2) which was held online on September 26, 2024.