How do people learn to navigate democratic societies — in classrooms, civil society, and everyday public life? What role can civic education play in helping individuals form their own judgements in times of polarisation, disinformation, and growing uncertainty? And what can Japan and Germany learn from each other when it comes to creating spaces for democratic learning and exchange?

The JDZB and EAB will address these questions with the symposium “Democracy as Practice: Japan and Germany on Civic Education, Participation, and Plurality”. It forms part of the JDZB series “The Future of Democracy,” which has provided a platform for dialogue between Japan and Germany on current challenges facing democratic societies from comparative and political science perspectives since 2021. 

The event focuses on how democracy can be learned, practiced, and strengthened, with a particular emphasis on spaces of non-formal civic education and civil society. It builds on a Japanese-German exchange that was initiated by the EAB and its cooperation partners and took place in Tokyo and Hiroshima in March 2026.

At a time when questions of political neutrality, plurality, and democratic responsibility are being debated in both Japan and Germany, the symposium asks how civic education can respond to new social and political pressures. Rather than offering ready-made answers, it invites participants to think side by side across national, institutional, and cultural contexts.

The event will take place at the JDZB in Berlin, with some speakers and invited guests from Japan joining online. The working language is English.

The detailed program will follow shortly.