Brussels — 15 October 2025, 11:30–13:00
Digital transformation is not an abstract technical project; it is a social and political process that must be rooted in places, in people’s daily lives, and in democratic practice. The Living-in.EU Digital Assembly (LDA) – this year organised by ENoLL during the European Week of Regions and Cities on 15 October 2025 — is the annual moment when political leadership, practitioners and local innovators come together to translate that principle into concrete priorities for Europe’s twin green and digital transitions.
The Assembly brings together mayors, regional leaders, European institutions and frontline practitioners. In 2025, they will explore how data-driven policymaking, inclusive participation and responsible governance can make cities and regions fairer, more resilient, and rights-respecting. Co-chairs Ivan Goychev (Deputy Mayor of Sofia) and Lluïsa Moret (President of Barcelona Provincial Council) will open the session. Wim de Kinderen, ENoLL President, will moderate the conversation — ensuring ENoLL’s perspective shapes the debate and helping bridge political intent with on-the-ground outcomes.
At the heart of the Assembly’s impact lies a simple idea: digital change must be co-designed and tested where people live. Living Lab principles — multi-stakeholder participation, co-creation, and iterative prototyping in real contexts — provide the operational pathway that turns policy ambitions into locally legitimate and scalable solutions. WWhen political commitment meets local experimentation, cities and regions gain safer ways to test digital services. These services can then protect rights, close access gaps, and support climate and social goals.
A panel on people-centred data use will look at standards, participation models and governance methods. The discussion will focus on how local authorities can put data protection, measurement, and inclusive design into practice, moving from abstract principles to practical steps that administrations and practitioners can adopt.
As Europe accelerates investments in Local Digital Twins, Artificial Intelligence, and data spaces, the Assembly offers public authorities a crucial platform to shape the governance models, standards, and collaborative frameworks that guide these technologies. The LDA serves as a strategic lever for Europe’s digital transition: it transforms political vision into operational capacity, high-level commitments into scalable policies, and collective ambition into tangible programmes.
By framing digital transformation not merely as a technical challenge but as a matter of social justice, territorial cohesion, and democratic renewal, the Assembly underscores the broader societal stakes of Europe’s digital agenda.
This is precisely where ENoLL brings added value. Its leadership in the 2025 edition demonstrates the conviction that co-creation, real-world experimentation, and inclusive governance provide the most effective path to a digital transition that is fair, resilient, and deeply rooted in democratic values.
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