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Our latest updates, thoughts, and events — as they roll out.
Demos Helsinki is currently involved in 14 Horizon Europe projects. From exploring the societal impacts of new technologies to tackling climate challenges, these projects reflect a growing demand for research that sparks systemic change. Discover how we are working across disciplines to shape fairer, more sustainable futures.
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These three research projects are: 1) Reducing polarisation via material participation (MaDem); 2) Coastal waters under pressure – safeguarding a healthy Gulf of Finland in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape (CoWup); and 3) Safe Water for All (WaterFall).
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We are pleased to announce that the UNDP’s Istanbul Innovation Days (IID), taking place in March 2025, will focus on shaping the next generation of public institutions for a secure and prosperous world.
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This report shares how young people aged 14-19 helped shape Scotland’s Horizon Scanning through a participatory foresight process co-designed with Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. It reveals insights on young people’s perspectives on topics such as climate, technology, democracy, and society more broadly, and shows how engaging them meaningfully can strengthen anticipatory governance. The methodology offers learnings and tools for governments seeking to embed long-term thinking into policy, and build trust and momentum towards shared large-scale goals.
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This report, created in collaboration with the EU Horizon-funded LIKE-A-PRO project and over 50 food experts across sectors and regions, underscores the urgent need to change the default protein production and consumption within the next two decades.
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How can countries strengthen their capacity for long-term governance and ensure that future generations are taken into account in decision-making? In this white paper, we highlight ways to promote anticipatory governance based on the views of key Finnish stakeholders. By translating the Finnish experience into a broader context, we aim to provide universally applicable strategies for advancing long-term governance and promoting intergenerational justice.
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Demos Helsinki and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Executive Education offer an exclusive masterclass on anticipatory governance specifically tailored for public service leaders. Registration is open!
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Inside Finland’s Basic Income Hackathon
April 19, 2016
Finland has plans for a basic income scheme that would dispense with the complexities of the social security system. A group led by Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and consisting of representatives of various research institutes, is developing a model for a basic income trial in 2017. To…
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The rise of the carbon-neutral Nordic city
April 19, 2016
Cities now account for 70% of the world’s CO2 emissions. From Oslo to Copenhagen to Växjö, cities both large and small have realised that where states have failed on an international level, cities can still succeed on a local one. Cities have shown the will to take the lead, and in…
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Why Helsinki – a mix of Detroit and Geneva – is one of the most exciting cities in the world
April 10, 2016
Smart doesn’t have to mean boring. As city officials, corporations and other traditional institutions get on board with Helsinki’s thriving participatory urban culture, the Finnish capital is turning into one of the most exciting cities in the world. Nordic think tank Demos Helsinki says the prospering urban commons is a…
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