Breaking Ground in Belgium: How IDEC@EUDEC 2025 Ignites a Global Education Revolution
Today marks a historic moment as Sint-Joris-Weert, Belgium, becomes the epicenter of global educational transformation. For the first time ever, Belgium hosts the International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC@EUDEC 2025), co-organized by CollectiveUP, Orvita, QUEST and the International and European Democratic Education Communities. From August 1-7, educators, students, and changemakers from five continents converge at De Kluis—a forested sanctuary near Leuven—to forge a radical vision for learning.
This first-ever iteration of the IDEC conference in Belgium invites us all to explore “Democratic Education: a culture of dialogue”.
You can engage in online conversations via Instagram
Why IDEC@EUDEC2025 conference changes everything
Democratic education isn’t a niche alternative—it’s a human right. The conference embodies two revolutionary pillars:
- Self-Directed Discovery: Learning driven by intrinsic motivation, not coercion.
- Collective Decision-Making: Every voice—regardless of age or status—shapes school rules, budgets, and curricula 24.
This week-long celebration is rooted in these two foundational pillars crafted to empower children and young people not just to learn, but to lead and participate across all dimensions of their educational journeys. IDEC@EUDEC is more than a conference—it’s a live embodiment of democratic values in action: eudec2025.org
CollectiveUP’s co-organization of this conference reflects its 4-year mission to "amplify social impact" through education reform and participatory methodologies. As our 2024 Activity Report notes, this event accelerates our drive to "strengthen democratic education networks" globally.
Speaker Spotlights: Voices Fueling the Movement
🎤 Karl Geller (Augsburg, Germany)
A lifelong arborist and democratic school founder, Karl blends political education with actionable strategy. His workshop tackles a burning question: "How do we build schools where children’s self-determination isn’t the exception but the foundation?"
🎤 Dr. Abdulvahap Yorgun (Izmir, Turkey)
A therapist and unschooling parent, Dr. Yorgun exposes how traditional education harms mental health. His sessions include:
- Parenting as Social-Emotional Learning: Tools to replace control with trust.
- Mathematical Resilience: Healing anxiety through student agency.
🎤 An Piessens & Marie Van Roost (GOTALK Project, Belgium)
These researchers unveil findings from action research in six schools, proving how inclusive student councils amplify youth voices. Their framework—inspired by Simon Sinek—prioritizes "why" over structure 14.
🎤 Academic Power Panel (August 3)
Featuring:
- Dr. John O’Reilly (University of Limerick)
- Dr. Tabatha Carton (Université de Mons)
- Prof. Andreas Hinz (Martin-Luther-University)
- They’ll dissect democratic education’s efficacy across diverse contexts 14.
Beyond Talks: Experiential Learning in Action
True to democratic principles, this conference rejects top-down programming. Attendees will:
- Co-create workshops on the fly—anyone can initiate a session.
- Join youth-led dialogues like the YOUDEX Project panel, where students share lived experiences of democratic learning.
- Experience "Seeing Without Eyes"—a deep-dive into intuitive facilitation with Sabrina De Troyer (Gelukkig Kind).
CollectiveUP’s commitment to cultural shift
CollectiveUP’s co-organization of IDEC@EUDEC 2025 embodies its commitment to "driving meaningful transformation" through collaboration. In our fourth year, we prove that when changemakers unite, education doesn’t just adapt—it evolves.
The cultural shift we need in education isn’t coming from isolated policy decisions—it’s rising in moments like this, where dialogue, trust, and creativity meet in action. IDEC@EUDEC 2025 gathers us in that moment—a living mosaic of hope, agency, and bold possibility.
Here’s to the conversations that will echo far beyond this forest, the ideas that will ripple across systems, and the learning that will help shape a more democratic future—from childhood onward.
Democracy isn’t taught—it’s lived. At IDEC@EUDEC, we don’t just discuss change; we practice it in every conversation, workshop, and shared meal.
— Martina Paone, Conference Moderator & QUEST Coordinator.
Let’s Celebrate, Connect & Act
As the conference unfolds this week, here are a few ideas to stay engaged:
- Follow #IDEC@EUDEC2025 to keep up with highlights.
- Share sessions and quotes on social media—amplify voices globally.
- After the conference, consider creating a reflective blog post or shared summary to spread the learning.
- Follow & Amplify: Use #IDEC2025 and #CollectiveUP4Years to share insights.
- Support Access: Donate to the fundraising campaign enabling marginalized groups to attend.
Become an Ambassador: Email info@collectiveup.be or info@eudec2025.org to join the global advocacy network
