The Eurocities Annual Conference 2025 takes place this week, from 4–6 June, in the vibrant Portuguese city of Braga. Under the bold theme ‘Stronger Cities – Fairer Europe’, mayors, EU leaders, and urban experts will gather to discuss how cities can collaborate to build a more resilient and just future for all Europeans.
Among the key contributors is Nordic Safe Cities, a leading expert organisation on urban safety and democracy. As a trusted advisor to municipalities across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, the organisation has built a strong reputation for developing innovative prevention strategies that promote inclusion, build resilience, and safeguard democratic values.
At the Eurocities Conference, Nordic Safe Cities will co-organise a Eurocities Academy training session on ‘Building safe digital cities’, providing city practitioners with strategies to address online hate, misinformation and polarisation.
They will also co-host a women leaders lunch on ‘Digital threats to gender equality and women leadership’, offering a space for women in political and leadership roles to reflect, share experiences and explore local solutions to online abuse.
We spoke with Lotte Fast Carlsen, Deputy Director, and Sebastian Jørgensen, Head of Digital Prevention, to find out more about Nordic Safe Cities’ work and what cities can expect in Braga.
What is Nordic Safe Cities, why was it set up, and how do you define safety in your work?
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “Nordic Safe Cities is a Nordic city alliance gathering cities across the Nordic countries. Since 2016 we have worked together to promote democracy, strengthen social cohesion, and prevent polarisation, hate and extremism by developing new local solutions to some of the challenging issues we see today. We work very closely with politicians, practitioners, youth, civil society, and the police across our member cities.
“Safety is not just the absence of violence, it is how we feel, feeling safe to walk our streets, safe with the people we share society with, and safe and secure when we take part in our democracies.
“It’s about trust in each other and in the institutions that surround us. And it’s about knowing that we belong, and that our voice matters.”
Sebastian Jørgensen: “What we try to do with the Safe Digital City programme is make cities understand that their democracies now play out online at the local level more than ever. If people don’t feel safe there, they won’t participate in democracy.”
In online spaces, what we try to do is make cities understand that their democracies now play out online
You are involved in running the Eurocities Academy training on ‘Building Safe Digital Cities.’ Why are cities critical players in tackling online harms like hate speech and polarisation?
Sebastian Jørgensen: “A young person between 15 and 25 years old spends four to five hours a day online. So if you want to create a safer future for youth, and for people living in cities across Europe, you need to translate your prevention structures so they work online, just as they do in physical spaces.”
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “There’s been this idea that what happens online goes beyond municipal or national borders. But our citizens live in these digital streets, and we as cities also have a role in making sure they feel safe in their digital environments.”
Why is it urgent for more European cities to take digital safety seriously?
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “There are some really massive security threats to our democracies right now. The feeling of safety is shifting, because we’re starting to realise that the structures we built on might not be as solid as we thought.
“We see a rise in disinformation, manipulation of public opinion, and targeted digital attacks that challenge the foundations of our democratic systems. This impacts trust, not just in institutions, but also between citizens.
“If we don’t act, we risk losing people’s engagement in the democratic process. And for cities, that means losing the ability to represent and protect the people who live there. That’s why it’s urgent to understand and address these digital threats locally.”
We see a rise in disinformation, manipulation of public opinion, and targeted digital attacks that challenge the foundations of our democratic systems.
Can you share an example where a city successfully addressed online hostility or built digital resilience?
Sebastian Jørgensen: “About a month and a half ago, the City of Copenhagen brought together digital volunteers from across the city. They included the administrators of the city’s largest Facebook groups. The power they have to shape democratic debate is quite unique. So the city initiated a collaboration to make sure these online communities are kept safe.”
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “Another example is when we piloted the first Safe Digital City Programme. This was initiated by the bold initiative taken by the City of Malmo in Sweden. They contacted us for support in mapping their residents’ digital behaviours and the digital democracy.
“We started by mapping the city online, identifying conversations and analysing what triggers hateful dialogue, what kinds of topics, what kinds of events. That gave us a better understanding of where and how polarisation grows and how the city could initiate new prevention efforts to target these threats.
“This was back in 2020, and since then the programme has grown to more than ten cities with new prevention efforts tested across the Nordics.”
You’re also hosting a lunch session on ‘Digital Threats to Gender Equality and Women Leadership.’ Why is this issue a priority?
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “It’s fundamental for our democracies that all people, including minorities, who want to participate can do so without being threatened or targeted by hate.
“There are quite a lot of politicians who don’t want to continue their important work because of the level of threats they face. And we also see a younger generation who don’t want to engage, because of the threats they experience online.
“When women and minorities withdraw from the digital conversation out of fear, we risk creating a democracy where only the loudest and safest voices are heard, undermining equality, legitimacy, and the representation of all citizens.”
Women, especially those in leadership or political roles, are disproportionately affected. They face a different kind of online abuse, often sexist and personal
How can local authorities take action to better protect and support women leaders in the digital sphere?
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “First and foremost there have to be clear protocols in place if someone is threatened online, how to track it, how to report it to police, and how to access the support they need. Furthermore, it’s crucial that politicians receive digital training when they start, so they understand how to use and manage their social media platforms. They also need training in good moderation procedures.
Sebastian Jørgensen: “Another important element is ensuring support from allies. We just launched a new initiative about a month ago that’s adapted from a Swedish model. It’s called I Am Here. We recruit civilians online to be part of a community where we coordinate ‘love storms’ in comment sections on Facebook. So let’s say a female politician is being attacked online. Then we coordinate a response in the comments, posting supportive, positive messages.”
Who should join these conversations?
Sebastian Jørgensen: “We’re looking for people with an open, curious mindset—people who want to create safer online communities in their city. The biggest challenge is when people think the digital space is a different world, and that the city has no role to play. We hope participants come out of the session with two or three practical, low-hanging fruit ideas. It really is possible to understand and act on social media at the local level, even if the internet is global.”
Lotte Fast Carlsen: “I’d love to see a lot of female politicians that are willing to engage in an open dialogue on how we build more safe and inclusive online democracies. And I hope more people in general understand that this is a real and urgent issue that we have to tackle together, one that demands attention and action now, if we wish to keep our democracies safe and inclusive.”
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At the Eurocities Conference 2025, Nordic Safe Cities will co-organise a Eurocities Academy training session on ‘Building safe digital cities’, and co-host the women leaders lunch on ‘Digital threats to gender equality and women leadership.’ Read the conference programme to learn more.
