While Brussels represents a wide variety of nationalities, the EU policy community still fails to reflect the increasingly diverse European societies it legislates for. There has been some progress: For the first time in history, the European Commission pledged in in 2019 to appoint a gender-balanced College of Commissioners and appointed a Commissioner for Gender Equality. However, other aspects of diversity – such as ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, income and age – still are little discussed.
This jointly organised event will discuss how EU policy-making could better reflect the diversity of its citizens and ensure that more diverse perspectives are included in the policy-making processes and institutions. In a world café format, participants will be able to exchange with the different speakers who will present themselves and their work to promote diversity in EU policymaking from different perspectives: EU institutions, civil society and think tanks. The event will be followed by a small reception at the Stanhope hotel, opposite the EPC.
Speakers:
Precilia Mpanu Mpanu, Member of Cabinet for Commissioner for Equality Helena
Dalli, European Commission
Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of Parliament's High-level group on Gender Equality and Diversity, European Parliament
Audrey-Flore Ngomsik, President and Board Member, The Brussels Binder
Emma Woodford, Chief Operating Officer, European Policy Centre
Ayşe Yürekli, Senior Expert, TÜSIAD Germany Representation and Berlin
Bosphorus Initiative Coordinator
Claire Luzia Leifert, Head, Think Tank Lab, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
This event is held under the auspices of Connecting Europe, a joint project of the EPC and Stiftung Mercator, incooperation with the Think Tank Lab.
The Think Tank Lab is a joint initiative of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). It is kindly supported by Stiftung Mercator and Robert Bosch Stiftung.