The VIII Iberian Meeting of Participatory Budgeting will take place in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from 9 to 11 November 2026, bringing together local governments, practitioners, experts, civil society organisations and other actors from Spain and Portugal to reflect on the current challenges and opportunities for participatory democracy.

Following the 2025 edition in Torres Vedras, the meeting will provide a space for exchange, reflection and peer learning around participatory budgeting and its contribution to more inclusive, transparent and democratic local governance.

The programme will address key issues including political participation and democratic trust, inclusion and diversity, digital tools, accountability and impact assessment, as well as the participation of children, young people and other groups traditionally underrepresented in public decision-making.

Through thematic discussions, workshops and exchanges of experiences, the meeting will explore how participatory budgeting can continue to evolve as a tool for strengthening citizen participation and democratic governance at the local level.

The event is organised by the Municipality of Santiago de Compostela, in collaboration with Rede de Autarquias Participativas (Portugal Participa), the Observatory for Participatory Democracy (OIDP) and CoGlogal.

Discover the full programme here and find out more about the conference here.