You can find the full up-to-date programme of the Online Forum on Modern Direct Democracy here. To take part in the Online Forum, you can register here.

 

10:00 - 11:30 CEST

 

14:00 - 15:30 CEST

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Opening address & Welcome by Co-President of the Global Forum Bruno Kaufmann

followed by Lecture: Tools, Issues, Campaigns and Votes

16:00 - 17:30 CEST

 

18:30 - 20:00 CEST

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Workshop: How can the Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) campaign solve global problems like Climate Change?

20:00 - 21:30 CEST

 

 

 

 

10:00 - 11:30 CEST

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Briefing: International Dimensions of Participation. Swiss Inputs to Bridging the Gap

 

14:00 - 15:30 CEST

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

 Panel: Corona Dictatorships

16:00 - 17:30 CEST

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Workshop: Citizens' Convention on the Climate in France FR/EN

18:30 - 20:00 CEST

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Panel: Can a World Citizens' Initiative help strenghten the UN?

20:00 - 21:30 CEST

 

 

 

 

10:00 - 11:30 CEST

 

14:00 - 15:30 CEST

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

 Workshop: Citizens' Initiative on Climate in Austria

16:00 - 17:30 CEST

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Panel: Will the Young Push for more Direct Democracy?

18:30 - 20:00 CEST

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Lecture: With Direct Democracy for Better Cycle Paths (DE/EN)

20:00 - 21:30 CEST

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

Panel: The Challenges of elections and direct democracy in Mexico in times of COVID-19 (ES/EN)

 

 

 

10:00 - 11:30 CEST

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop: Comparing Petitioning Online Collection Systems

14:00 - 15:30 CEST

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Panel: Towards the 2021 Democracy City Summit in Bern, Switzerland (DE/EN)

16:00 - 17:30 CEST

 

18:30 - 20:00 CEST

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

Panel: The American election during COVID-19: The pandemic's influence on voter turnout

20:00 - 21:30 CEST

 

 

 

 

10:00 - 11:30 CEST

 

14:00 - 15:30 CEST

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Panel: The September 27 Popular Voting Day: Issues, Backgrounds and the Role of Public Media 

16:00 - 17:30 CEST

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Panel: Complementary Paths to Combatting Climate Change

18:30 - 20:00 CEST

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Panel: Global Democracy - Accelerating its Implementation

20:00 - 21:30 CEST

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

Lecture: Ruling by obeying as a form of government: social participation in the times of the fourth transformation of Mexico (ES/EN)

 

 

 

11:30 - 12:00 CEST

All tracks

Welcome & Workshop Presentation

12:00 - 13:30 CEST

All tracks

Panel: Our Democratic Future

13:30 - 14:00 CEST

Lunch break

14:00 - 16:00 CEST

All tracks

OPEN SPACE: People Power around the World

 

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Workshop 1: From the streets to the Constitution : Introducing the RIC in France

 

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Workshop 2: Catching the deliberative wave

 

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Workshop 3: How to activate neighbourhoods for local democracy

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop 4: Campaigning for Direct Democracy

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop 5: European Public Sphere

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop 6: Let the 17 million EU citizens vote!

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop 7: Digital solutions for better democracy - from the local to the global level

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Workshop 8: On our future: From competitive to co-creative democracy

 

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

Workshop 9: Lessons from the Coronavirus crisis

 

Open Space with yoga breaks by Elisabeth Erlandsson Kaufmann

16:00 - ? CEST

All tracks

Invitation to the Global Forum & Online Forum Afterwork Party

With a musical surprise - „Act(s) for Humanity“ presents Felix Miles 

 

 

 

All day

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Swiss national voting day

Follow live coverage of the voting results via our media partner Swissinfo.

 

 

 

01:30 - 03:00 am CEST

Track 3: Future of Democracy

Closing session: Should Global Democracy Become More Direct?

 

Thematic focus of the Online Forum

 

Track 1:  Swiss Direct Democracy in Practice

Made in Switzerland! Switzerland’s greatest export is not luxury watches, but modern direct democracy. Swiss citizens have a direct say in matters that affect their lives such as military spending, socio-political issues and constitutional reforms. As such, Switzerland is a pioneer of multilevel participatory democracy which should serve as a blueprint for democracy in Europe and around the world. What can we learn from this thriving example of direct democracy and what is on the ballot for the national voting day on 27 September?

 

Track 2: Climate, Sustainability and Direct Democracy

Direct Democracy is at the forefront of the fight against climate change with initiatives in France, the UK and Austria recently making waves. Citizens are coming to the realisation that they cannot rely on status quo politics to stop climate change and that direct democracy offers an opportunity to solve one of humankind’s biggest collective challenges.

 

Track 3: Future of Democracy

The times are changing, and democracy should change as well! In a constantly globalising world, with information at our fingertips, many people have become disillusioned by the direction politics is taking. Especially the younger generation is being emboldened by the direct democratic atmosphere and it is becoming increasingly clear that the days of technocratic government are coming to an end. The future of democracy should undoubtedly entail a move towards stronger elements of participatory democracy to supplement representative government.

 

Track 4: Democracy in Crisis

In a world where we are confronted with seemingly overwhelming democratic crises, direct democracy represents a glimmer of hope! In many countries pre-existing crises have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 global pandemic. Through direct democracy, citizens can shield themselves from dictatorial regimes, work together in recovering from Covid-19 and build a better future. Find out how a global alliance of citizens and civil society can help this process.