The 24th European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty will take place on 4–5 June 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus, under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
This year’s meeting, themed “The Politics of Anti-Poverty: Participation, Power and Inclusion” will make people with lived experience of poverty take centre stage of policymaking.
At a time when the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy is taking shape, this meeting will be an important moment to test what meaningful participation looks like in practice, who gets to shape it and what implementation looks like when lived realities lead the way.
It will bring together people experiencing poverty, civil society and other stakeholders to build a common understanding of the challenges ahead and strengthen the collective response to poverty and social exclusion.
Over two days, participants will explore what it means to move from strategy to reality in the fight against poverty, with a focus on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, participation, power, inclusion and implementation.
The meeting will also provide space to discuss shared priorities, advocacy pathways and the role of lived experience in shaping more effective and equitable anti-poverty responses across Europe.
At the heart of EAPN’s mission is the belief that the fight against poverty is also a fight to empower people living in poverty and social exclusion. Meaningful participation is not just a principle; it is a key driver for eradicating poverty.