As one of the follow up activities to the Council of Europe School on Participatory Democracy, the Council of Europe supported the participation of eight representatives from CSOs and municipalities from Turkiye, North Macedonia and Serbia at the Training Workshop for Co-ordinators of citizens’ assemblies organised and facilitated by the Centre for Blue Democracy from 10 to 12 May in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 

The 3-day training provided participants from seven European countries the knowledge and skills to co-ordinate and organise a citizens’ assembly in an effective, inclusive and transparent manner, ensuring a citizen-oriented process sensitive to diversity, open, accountable and transparent.  

In the course of the training, the participants studied in depth the phases of the citizens' assemblies, the importance of setting rules for the overall process, the step-by-step co-ordination from the perspective of all participants, and the values on which the whole process must rest. By finally simulating a citizens' assembly, the participants learned the importance of the work of the co-ordinators of the assembly and the reason behind the foundation of a transparent and inclusive process tailored to each individual case.

From defining a clear problem, choosing the right stakeholders and facilitators, preparing invitations, to setting the atmosphere and encouraging the members of the citizens’ assembly to voice their needs, the participants of the training workshop in Slovenia had the opportunity to acquire all necessary insights and skills to effectively implement citizens’ assemblies in their countries. The eight participants supported by Council of Europe look forward to exploring opportunities to promote and implement citizens’ assemblies in Turkiye, North Macedonia and Serbia and feel well equipped and stand ready to co-ordinate.

Written by Sanja Manceva, training participant, in co-operation with the Council of Europe.