From 2 to 4 June 2026, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the Timiș County Council will offer regional leaders and stakeholders the opportunity to explore how regions can reinforce the resilience and responsiveness of our democracies, forming multi-level democratic partnerships among academia, civil society and media.

2 June 2026 | High-Level Conference – Defending Democratic Resilience in the Age of Disinformation

 The high-level conference on 2 June 2026 aims to discuss how regions can defend democratic resilience amid the rise of AI and disinformation. It will include a political roundtable on how to address the risks of AI-powered manipulation and disinformation in democracy, and how to build democratic resilience across the regional, national and European levels. The conference will also include two workshops, one on regions acting as grassroots democracy shields and one on the role of the media in times of crisis. 

As representatives of regional governments and their key partners, participants are invited to share their experiences on the impact of disinformation on democracy, taking inspiration from the questions listed here. Interested participants will have the opportunity to share these experiences during the conference.

3 June 2026 | 2026 AER General Assembly, Spring Bureau meeting Intercultural Regions Network

The 2026 AER General Assembly, Spring Bureau meeting and the Intercultural Regions Network Plenary will take place on Wednesday, 3 June. The discussions will bring into focus the issues of Cohesion Policy, agriculture & rural development, right to stay & access to services, multilateral processes & the global agenda, disinformation and migrant inclusion.

4 June 2026 |  General Assembly of the Youth Regional Network | Capacity Building & Study Visits

The Youth Regional Network will hold its General Assembly on the morning of 4 June. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in innovative capacity-building sessions through hands-on insights on disinformation on migration, rural development and urban renewal.

Practical Information

How to get to Timișoara (TM)

• Fly direct flights to Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport (TSR) from European airports:
  Munich, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Dortmund, Nuremberg, Frankfurt-Hahn, Istanbul, Rome, Bari, Milano, Napoli, Bologna, Treviso, Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Brussels, Pari, Beauvais, Basel, London Luton, Bucharest
• You can fly to one of the nearest airports and then take a rental car to Timișoara:
  Belgrade Airport (BEG): ~163 km, ~2h50 by car Budapest Airport (BUD): ~277 km, ~3h12 by car 

Where to sleep in Timișoara

• Use the code “ARE2026” before 31 May 2026 when booking with the hotels listed here.

Curious about Timiș?