19-21 februari 2019: A Liberal European Leadership after 2019 2.0

About the Event

As liberalism is challenged by populists and nationalists from both left and right, we will have to prepare ourselves thoroughly in order to safeguard liberal values across Europe. Therefore, we offer a unique opportunity to combine a high quality capacity-building training in how to present liberal values to citizens with the opportunity to build a strong network of liberals from across Europe.

There are two main aims of this event: 1) To equip top representatives from liberal parties across the European Union with concrete tools for putting forward the liberal message. This includes defining the core of the message and using social media in the most effective way. 2) To get to know top politicians or future politicians from other liberal parties around Europe, exchange best practices and ideas to create a strong, liberal network of top European politicians and staffers and foster closer ties between liberals. In total, we will gather representatives from around ten to fifteen parties coming from all over Europe.

When working together, we stand a better chance to counter populism and spread the liberal values across Europe.

Draft Programme

Tuesday 19 February 2019

12:00-16:00 Arrival of participants including afternoon tea

16:00-17:30 Practical information, presentation of participants and icebreaker.

Karin Carlesten, International Officer, the Centre Party and Member of the Board, CIS

17:30-18:00 Inspirational kick-off session with liberal best practices from around Europe

Ian Marquardt, Campaign Consultant, the Alde Party, and facilitated exchange among participants

19:00 Dinner

Wednesday 20 February 2019

09:00-09:30 Introductory Speech

Annie Lööf, Party Leader, the Centre Party

09:30-09:40 Group photo

09:40-10:00 Coffee break

09:50-12:00 Building successful campaigns

Sessions introduced and facilitated by Ian including practical advice and assignments

• How to follow-up and implement
• Targeting - What citizen groups do I need to address and how

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00-18:00 Create your story (messages) (including coffee break)

• Define your political space vis-à-vis competitors, what are the messages, what is the story to break through in public attention.
• Build your team (staff or volunteers)
• Write the plan (strategic approach)

18:00-19:00 Free time

19:00-21:00 Dinner including speech by Fredrick Federley, Centre Party MEP

21:00-late Optional: Networking in the bar or in the sea spa

Thursday 21 February 2019

08:30-08:45 Speech by Airis Meier, treasurer and member of board, European Liberal Forum

08:45-11:45 Social media and online communication (incl. coffee break)

Johan Mossberg, social media expert, the Centre Party

Anna Vetter, communications expert

• Social media platforms – which are they and who do we find on them
• Tips and tricks for a successful social media feed
• Debating on social media – do’s and don’ts
• Video and Facebook Live
• Record your own social media message
• Setting up your own social media plan
• Make your campaign stand out: content creation; visual branding; useful apps and tools; do´s and don´ts.
• Why community management matters

11:45-12:00 Wrapping up and evaluation

Karin Carlesten

12.00-13.00 Lunch and departure of participants

END OF THE EVENT

An event organised by the European Liberal Forum (ELF). Supported by the Centre Party International Foundation and Stichting Internationaal Democratisch Initiatief. Co-funded by the European Parliament.

Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content of the programme, or for any use that may be made of it. The views expressed herein are those of the speaker(s) alone. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the European Parliament and/or the European Liberal Forum asbl.