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Stitching Democracy

A participatory embroidery workshop on voices, values, and belonging

Stitching Democracy is a hands-on civic education workshop that uses embroidery to explore how people live together, make collective decisions, and deal with differences.

Through slow making, shared fabric, and guided reflection, participants experience democratic values not as abstract ideas, but as something they practice together.

This workshop is designed for youth and educational contexts and aligns with European civic education frameworks.

Integration x Inclusion | Embroidered maps of imaginary lands | December, 2025

What Is the Workshop?

  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Who it is for: Youth aged 14–18
  • Group size: 8–20 participants
  • Where it happens: Schools, youth centres, cultural institutions, festivals
  • How it works: Hands-on embroidery combined with guided reflection

No previous sewing experience is needed. You don't need to be good at sewing — this is not about art, it is about ideas.

Why Embroidery?

Embroidery creates a slow and inclusive way of thinking together:

  • Equal access: everyone starts at the same level
  • Slowness: hands stay busy while the mind has space to think
  • Multiple voices: many styles and threads exist on one shared surface
  • Repair and care: mending and stitching over become metaphors for social repair and democracy

Stitching allows participation without pressure to speak or argue.

What Participants Learn

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • Express personal values visually and verbally
  • Experience how collective decisions are made
  • Reflect on inclusion, exclusion, and shared responsibility
  • Practice respectful dialogue without debate pressure
  • Build confidence in expressing personal values

Connection to Civic Education

This workshop aligns with:

  • EU Key Competences for Lifelong Learning
  • Council of Europe – Competences for Democratic Culture

It supports learning around:

  • Democratic participation
  • Human rights and inclusion
  • Critical thinking
  • Active citizenship

Repair, Not Replace (Optional Module)

Participants work with damaged or stained fabric and use embroidery to repair it visibly. Bold colours and obvious stitches are encouraged.

This module explores:

  • Inequality
  • Exclusion
  • Accountability
  • Solidarity
  • Justice over perfection

Who Is This Workshop For?

This workshop is suitable for:

  • Schools and youth education
  • NGOs working with inclusion and participation
  • Cultural institutions and festivals
  • Youth organisations

This workshop may not be suitable if you:

  • Want debate-based or lecture-style teaching
  • Need fast outcomes without reflection
  • Expect polished art results

Workshop Packages

Option 1 – On-site Workshop

  • 90-minute facilitated session
  • All materials included
  • Up to 20 participants

Option 2 – Workshop + Educator Kit

  • Workshop guide
  • PDF toolkit to repeat the workshop
  • Reflection questions included

Option 3 – Train-the-Facilitator

  • Facilitated session plus online training
  • Full methodology
  • Rights to use the workshop independently

Practical Information

Materials provided:

  • Large fabric pieces (often reused sheets)
  • Embroidery hoops
  • Needles and thread
  • Scissors

No prior sewing experience is required.

Book a Workshop

Let's stitch democracy together.

About

Stitching Democracy is developed and facilitated by Ikke i Rute, working at the intersection of art, pedagogy, and civic engagement.