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Citizens Assemblies in Action (Skopje)
Can Citizens Assemblies complement democracy in the region of the Western Balkans? What are the possibilities for incorporating deliberative democracy in North Macedonia when making decisions about the environment, especially with the threat of extractive industries and exploitation of water resources?
About the event
Both the climate and energy crises are at their peak across Europe and very often policymakers are required to make quick and short-notice decisions based on the executive power they gained through elections. In many cases the voices and needs of citizens are not properly represented and recognized as it appears that crisis mode does not allow sufficient time nor resources to allow a deeper democratic process.
Citizen’s assemblies have the potential to empower citizens to engage in a diverse of topics (climate, energy, water, biodiversity, health), but also to strengthening linkages between the Greens across Europe and engaged citizens, with the purpose of making them more relevant, inclusive and connected with social groups and movements.
Guests and experts from academic and practical backgrounds will share their expertise with the participants and enable an exchange of ideas and concepts.
Project background
This event is part of the Green European Foundation’s project Green deal for All – Citizens Assemblies in Action. The emergence of assemblies across Europe is a symptom which shows that citizens don’t feel sufficiently involved in policy making or decision-making processes that relate to the green transition. Citizen assemblies emerge as a form of civic deliberation to underline the societal dimension of the green transition policies present in the European Green Deal, to reflect the full spectrum of society and very often to boost local or national decision makers who often don’t have sufficient legitimacy to take more ambitious, bolder actions.
This project aims to increase the knowledge on the work of citizen assemblies, their methodologies, successes and failures, but also to work proactively with them or create the supportive conditions for the emergence of new ones. Not only with the purpose of building public ownership over tough choices to be taken, but also to democratize climate action across Europe.
Speakers
Ewa Sufin Jaquemart, Strefa Zieleni, Poland and Board member of GEF
Hristijan Stanoevikj – SUNRISE Association
Vedran Horvat – IPE Croatia – Board member of GEF and Leading partner of GEF project “Citizen’s Assemblies in Action”
Moderator Nevena Georgievska, O2 Initiative and Independents for Karposh
Programme
13:00-14:00 Registrations and welcome coffee
14:00-14:20 Introduction of participants
14:20-14:40 Introduction of Green European Foundation – Ewa Sufin Jaquemart, Strefa Zieleni, Poland and Board member of GEF
14:40-15:10 Introduction to Citizens assemblies – Regional and European experiences, Hristijan Stanoevikj – SUNRISE Association
15:10-15:45 Vedran Horvat – IPE Croatia – Board member of GEF and Leading partner of GEF project “Citizen’s Assemblies in Action”
15:45-16:00 Coffee Break
16:00-18:00 Networking opportunities in green activism (Informal round table) – Moderator Nevena Georgievska Grad. Engineer, O2 Initiative and Independents for Karposh
18:00-21:00 Discussion and Networking Dinner
Practicalities
Date and Time: 2nd December, 13am-21:00pm CET
Location: Skopje
Language: Macedonian and English
Please note this roundtable is a closed event.
This event is organized by the Green European Foundation with the support of Sunrise and with the financial support of the European parliament to the Green European Foundation.