| The 6th world conference on active citizenship and participatory democracy is a timely event indeed. Just days after perhaps the most suprising election result in modern history, and after a US presidential campaign full of lies, accusations and stupidities, we are gathering in this beautiful spot of the Basque Country for four days of sharing, caring and developing of modern direct democracy.
Last week’s ballot box earthquake in America has sent waves of disbelief across the globe. It is one more powerful signal that our democracies urgently need to become more democratic. And it has led many to raise questions: Are we turning away from democracies and towards the strong man, who shall make our countries great again? How do we address the many problems our democracies face in a economically globalized world? So we are gathering in Donostia-San Sebastian to identify and specify what circumstances and problems are producing shocking electoral outcomes in countries like the Phillipines, Poland and the United Kingdom recently. And we are gathering here to work on ways forward – starting with the local level, city governments and social movements. Fixing our democracies means fixing our political cultures, by addressing local participation as a building stone for our global coexistence. This forum is hosted by The Muncipality of Donostia/San Sebastian and the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy Consortium (which includes the Initiative & Referendum Institute, Democracy International, Zocalo Public Square and people2power.info) in cooperation with partners and sponsors like International IDEA, The Council of Europe and Swissinfo.ch. You are welcome to join us onsite and online via our webstreams and #deardemocracy #globfor16. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch |
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