ONLINE FORUM - Towards the 2021 Democracy City Summit in Bern, Switzerland

14:00 - 15:30 CEST / Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Cities have become the focal point in dealing with global crises on health, the climate and human rights. On the local level, governments are pioneering participatory and direct democratic tools. Local efforts are essential to counter populistic and autocratic attempts to reverse fundamental human rights. The next Global Democracy City Summit in Bern, Switzerland will offer an opportunity for leading democracy cities around the world to share, care, exchange and develop key dimensions of local democracy.

This panel will feature representatives from the host city of Bern and the city of Helsinki, which have developed comprehensive ways of bringing in their citizens locally. We will also meet and learn about two major initiatives to support these local democracy efforts: the European Capital of Democracy project and the Open Government City initiative.

Online Forum Conference Guide