The Institute of Research & Training on European Affairs – I.R.T.E.A. implements, within the framework of the “Digital Civic Participation v2.0 (DCP v2.0)” program funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values program of the European Union (CERV-2021-CITIZENS-TOWN), a workshop on March 31, 2023, at “Gazi View” (at Iakchou 22, Kerameikos), starting at 16:00, on the topic “Blockchain and the Decentralization of Democracy.”
The purpose of the event is to activate and highlight the contribution of Blockchain systems (decentralized decision-making systems) to electronic voting and digital democracy in general. The event is based on non-formal learning activities and aims to involve young people, representatives of municipalities or municipal officials working in the youth sector, as well as representatives of civil society or innovative initiatives and participatory tools.
In recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for quick and flexible decisions, regulatory power has shifted to individual governments and local authorities. This has raised doubts about the adequacy of social representation, while meaningful participation of all members of society in the decision-making process is more important than ever and a key factor for sustainable economic, environmental, and social outcomes. This project aims to study digital participatory tools, the needs of society, how they are expressed through these tools, as well as the effectiveness of using these tools at the local level. By participating in the project activities, the impact of COVID-19 on the lifestyle and functioning of local communities will be analyzed, as well as the changes in means and modes of participation during the pandemic.
The “DCP v2.0” project also aims to document and analyze the digital tools used in EU countries and create a user-friendly manual on how and in what circumstances they can be used. The purpose of the manual is to be easily accessible and usable by everyone, thus expanding its usage in the decision-making process at the local level.
The project’s actions include:
- Studying and exploring existing citizen participation tools and methods.
- Presenting these tools to all members of society through practical examples and in a way understandable by everyone, making them accessible and implementable.
- Training and empowering both young people and municipal officials in the use of digital tools for participatory democracy.
- Identifying and exchanging “best practices” in the field of digital participation among European municipalities.
- Enhancing digital participation with the ultimate goal of increasing citizens’ direct engagement through digital tools.
During the project, young people from Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, and Greece, as well as representatives of Municipal Partners, will contribute to achieving the above objectives using methods and tools of non-formal and informal education within the project’s activities.
Specifically, the actions to be implemented include:
- At the local level, each partner will collect data on the digital tools used and analyze the needs of the local community.
- Subsequently, an international conference will be held in Greece to exchange and promote best practices among public authorities and civil society organizations.
- Each partner will conduct workshops between young people and municipal officials.
- Finally, an online platform will be developed to facilitate communication and collaboration among participants, and the project’s results will be disseminated through various channels.