This year, we aim to push the boundaries of our practices by confronting and challenging the assumptions we can all so easily make, often without realising – whether to do with language, interpretation, geography, resourcing, cultural context. Together in Luxembourg, we will use our collective knowledge and diverse experiences to think beyond current approaches, challenging assumptions to rebalance the language of engagement and maximise the impact of our practice sharing.  By listening to, and learning from, one another we can better cross barriers and improve connections with audiences, strengthening the collective impact our European engagement community can make.

There is no better place to address these themes than Luxembourg, at the very heart of Europe, yet for those unfamiliar with the region, often defined by preconceptions and assumptions. Our conversations will look outward, exploring how approaches across Europe and around the world can benefit from reflection and appreciation of different contexts, to better address the challenges of trust and engagement in science.

We warmly invite you to think widely about the idea of assumptions within your engagement practice or experience and submit your proposal – your stories will be at the heart of our conference.