Summer 2026 (#23)

The 23rd edition of Convergences marks the 40th anniversary of the Club of Venice, centering on the strategic theme “Beyond the Showcase” to address institutional fragility in public communication. The publication examines the profound impact of generative and agentic AI, which is redefining professional roles and the production of information. A major focus is placed on building democratic resilience against Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) through cross-border synergies and the “European Democracy Shield”. The issue introduces the “Manifesto for Digital Sustainability of Communication,” emphasizing ethics, human well-being, and inclusion in the digital sphere. Contributors advocate for a transition to “Social Culture,” where trust is built within niche communities on the “Interest Graph” through authentic human interaction. It also explores mainstreaming participatory and deliberative democracy as a fundamental social infrastructure rather than a one-off exercise. Effective crisis management is framed through the “3 T” formula: timeliness, transparency, and trust. Case studies, such as Spain’s renewable energy leadership, highlight the role of communication as vital social infrastructure for policy legitimacy. The publication further redefines nation branding and regional cooperation as core assets for protecting national narratives in a competitive geopolitical landscape. Finally, it calls for a reorientation toward relational models in public administration to restore and protect public trust.

Key Topics:

1. Beyond the Showcase: Addressing institutional fragility and bureaucratic rigidity to build authentic, conversation-based links with citizens rather than acting as disembodied producers of information
2. AI Governance and Literacy: Managing the responsible integration of generative AI in the public sector while developing “cultural antibodies” to recognize manipulative synthetic content
3. Resilience to FIMI: Strengthening cross-border cooperation and strategic interoperability to counter foreign information manipulation through the European Democracy Shield
4. The Era of “Social Culture”: Moving from top-down mass communication to engaging niche communities and “Interest Graphs” through humanized content and expert creators
5. Mainstreaming Participatory Democracy: Embedding permanent citizen engagement mechanisms, such as citizen panels and deliberative platforms, into daily government decision-making
6. Crisis Communication (The 3 Ts): Utilizing the principles of timeliness, transparency, and trust to maintain institutional credibility during permanent states of geopolitical uncertainty
7. Manifesto for Digital Sustainability: Promoting a human-centered digital ecosystem based on ethics, digital well-being, and the reduction of technology’s negative social impacts
8. Communicating Complex Transitions: Analyzing Spain’s renewable energy shift as a benchmark for how communication serves as the vital social and technical infrastructure for major policy changes
9. Nation Branding and Reputational Security: Redefining public diplomacy and regional cooperation as strategic assets for protecting national narratives in an evolving information warfare landscape
10. Restoring Public Trust: Transitioning public administration toward a relational model based on mutual trust, empathy, and the recognition of citizens as active participants