During our 2026 gathering we want 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, geographies, evidence, resources or cultural contexts, assumptions can affect how we learn, improve, and share practice across settings. In Luxembourg, we will use our collective knowledge and diverse experience to explore and interrogate current approaches, challenging assumptions to rebalance the language and terms of our engagement practice. By listening, reflecting and learning from one another, we can better overcome barriers and improve connections with partners and audiences to strengthen the collective impact our European engagement community can make.

There is no better place to address these themes than Luxembourg – a place at the heart of Europe that everyone will recognise, and yet for many, unfamiliar with its history and geography, itself often defined by preconceptions and assumptions. Our rendezvous may be central, but our conversations will look outwards, exploring how practice across Europe and beyond can benefit from meaningful reflection and appreciation of different contexts.

On behalf of EUSEA and the Luxembourg Team, we warmly invite you to immerse yourself In Other Words and Other Worlds and think deeply about the idea of assumptions within your world of public engagement. The insights and experiences you submit through our call for proposals will form the beating heart of a lively and productive gathering!