10 am Opening talk entitled “Direct Democracy - Promises and Challenges”, given by the University of Zurich political scientist and researcher, Céline Colombo
This will be followed by two discussion tables with different experiences of local governments for sharing difficulties and challenges from holding citizen consultations.
11.10 am The first table, moderated by the journalist Ramon Suñé from the newspaper La Vanguardia, will explain the experiences of consultations launched by the local governments of several cities:
San Francisco , with John Avalos, a former city councillor
Grenoble, with Pierre-Loic Chambon. Director of local democracy
Olesa de Montserrat, with Pilar Puimedon, the Mayor of Olesa de Montserrat
Madrid, with Pablo Soto, the City Councillor for Citizen Participation, Transparency and Open Government
Barcelona, with Gala Pin, the City Councillor for Participation and Districts.
1 pm. The workshop’s second table will be moderated by Jaume Asens, the Third Deputy Mayor at Barcelona City Council, with people taking part from around the world who have launched consultations through citizen initiatives. The table will be made up of the following cities:
Krakow, with Alicja Beryt, a member of Krakow Against Olympics / The Common City, and Deputy Chair of the Ogniwo cooperative.
Cajamarca, with Renzo García, a biologist and joint founder of the Environmental Committee in Defence of Life and the Network of Environmental Committees of Tolima, Colombia.
Barcelona, with Quim Pérez, an activist from Ecologists in Action and the Water is Life platform.
Berlin, with Ulrike Hamann, Dr and social scientist at Berlin Humboldt University and one of the founders of the tenants initiative Kotti & Co.
2.30 pm. Workshop is formally closed.