American flag

America Speaks: Our Budget, Our Economy

In June 2010, 3,500 Americans gathered together at 57 sites across the country to deliberate about their fiscal future. Participants worked in small groups with skilled facilitators to explore complex issues. The sites were linked together electronically so the sharing of information was national. A key aim was to have a civilised conversation in a...

Canada Mental Health

Developing a Framework for a Mental Health Strategy for Canada

From June 2008 through September 2009, the Mental Health Commission of Canada worked to develop its strategy through collaboration with governmental, institutional and community partners, and individual Canadians. This mandate was given to the Commission upon its creation in 2007 by the federal government, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments.

Portsmouth Listens

Portsmouth Listens (US)

Prevention of violence through to improvements to the town centre are being addressed by citizens with the city acting on the results. The video also shows how this engagement model brings out local knowledge and is a strong example of a regional tier of government committing to the long term use of a deliberative model.Continue reading

Citizens Parliament

The Australian Citizens’ Parliament (2009)

This was Australia’s largest deliberative event, convened on the topic of democratic reform – asking the question how Australia’s political system could be strengthened to serve us better. It brought together a representative sample of Australia drawn from each of our 150 electorates. The project was funded by the newDemocracy Foundation with the support of...Continue reading

Geraldton sustainable future

Geraldton 2029 and beyond

Developing civic deliberation and collaborative governance to co-create a sustainable future (Western Australia) This project aimed to have citizens, government and industry in the Greater Geraldton City Region working together to develop and implement sustainability plans.

Grain

Australian Consensus Conference on Gene Technology in Food (1999)

A lay panel of 14 people, without subject matter expertise and representing a cross-section of the community, was brought together by the Australian Museum in June 1999. The reader will note in the final report (attached) that the citizens were able to hear from a diverse range of speakers from academics through to commercial providers...

Siena, Tuscany

The Tuscany Law (Italy, 2007 and ongoing)

Drawn from a paper by Antonio Floridia and Rodolfo Lewanski (attached) While the vast majority of deliberative processes have been produced on a ‘one-off’ basis, the Region of Tuscany is the first regional level of government to institutionalise a deliberative process and give it an ongoing role.

Woman using computer

Demoex (Sweden)

A web based direct democracy experiment, where an elected representative votes in accordance with the wishes of the polled membership on every issue. The first secured a representative in the local parliament of Vallentuna since September 2002. This suburb of Stockholm has approximately 30,000 residents, and is governed by a 41-member local parliament which meets...

We the Citizens

We The Citizens – Citizens Assembly 2011 (Ireland)

The scope of the research project undertaken by We The Citizens, with funding assistance from Atlantic Philanthropies, spans 3 years and is one of the larger scale deliberative democracy processes undertaken. The final report was launched in December 2011 by the Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) of Ireland Eamon Gilmore.

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