Call for Papers /// Participatory Design Conference: PEACE, DIALOGUE, COEXISTENCE – Milano, Italy, June 16-19, 2026

Participatory Design Conference: PEACE, DIALOGUE, COEXISTENCE

The call for the Participatory Design Conference 2026 (Milano, Italy, June 16-19, 2026) is now open till October 7th 2025 and available in the website www.pdc2026.org.

The conference, themed “Pace Dialogue Coexistence. Designing for Living Together”, will be an opportunity to discuss research, applied programs, projects and initiatives where participatory design and co-design have been used to: foster dialogue, create or reconcile communities, give voice to people or entities who have not voice, nurture solidarity, negotiate, create contexts of conviviality, tackle even the unmanageable issue of wars and conflicts due to societal, political, economic and climate reasons.

Theme: Designing for living together

In a world marked by disconnections, fragmentations, and conflicts, more than ever, the urgency of participatory design is to become an agent of peace, dialogue and coexistence. How can participatory design facilitate living together?

PDC 2026 will be an opportunity to discuss research and applied programs, projects, and initiatives where participatory design and co-design have been used to foster dialogue, to create or reconcile communities, to give voice to people or entities who have not voice, to nurture solidarity, to negotiate, to create contexts of conviviality, to tackle even the unmanageable issue of wars and conflicts due to societal, political, economic and climate reasons. 

Challenges design must face are related to take care of the others and the planet, counteract marginalisation, prevent conflicts, alleviate the consequences of any conflictual circumstance, and rebuild conditions of peace and dialogue. In all situations, peace is not a product, but a process: to contribute meaningfully, participatory design must first understand why a community struggles to live in peace and focus on how to reactivate communities and heal conflict damages for individuals and the social fabric of a territory. 

In addressing the evolving landscape of participatory design, the role of digital technologies is critical: understanding, designing, and using digital technologies for peace, dialogue, and co-existence today is to locate and mobilize diverse agencies. This involves recognizing the interconnectedness of all entities— human, non-human, and technological—and learning how to harness and govern our interdependencies rather than corralling complexity. Digital technologies are not merely tools for individual or human-centric use, but integral to the fabric of a global and interspecies society.

Engaging with peace and conflict means going to the origins of participatory design as a democratic tool for conflict mitigation and resolution. PDC 2026 will explore its political dimension, investigating how participatory processes can foster peacebuilding, social justice, and transformative change. 

Contribution types

The conference offers multiple venues for contributions, including Full Papers, Exploratory Papers, Workshops, a Doctoral Colloquium, and Situated Actions (an interactive exhibition format). The 2026 will also host a number of PDC Places (smaller in-person events and activities running in different locations around the world – with each Place shaped and organised by local PD researchers and practitioners).

Site: https://lnkd.in/dkxeFVXZ Call: https://lnkd.in/dgZ-UFgY  Social media: IG: https://lnkd.in/d_6rJSaf FB: https://lnkd.in/da4JsUn9 

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