From May 13 to 15, 2025, the members of the ARENAS project consortium gathered in Jurmala, Latvia, for their annual meeting. Organised to perfection by partner Creative Ideas, the meeting provided an opportunity to review the project’s mid-term progress (2 years out of 4), and to work on new topics linked to current social, political and scientific issues, such as cybersecurity and civic engagement.
In addition to the presentations made by each of the seven work package, which brilliantly illustrated the recent deliverables accepted by the European Commission, working sessions on the notion of circulation, concepts of extremism, or linguistic approaches to extremist narratives, made it possible to outline the contours of future research to be carried out. Also of note was the presence of Signe Grūbe, the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Culture, who opened the meeting and explained Latvia’s contribution to promoting dialogue, inclusion, and social cohesion.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for the consortium to get together and renew the ties that now bind its members, around convivial moments (like the morning run, extended by morning swim for some of us) and cultural visits.
We look forward to the next general meeting in Helsinki in one year, and of course to presenting our project work at many other events in between!
