This citizens' assembly was established following the design of deliberative mini-publics. It draws on sortition to select citizens among the 20 districts of the city of Bogotá to provide input in different policies. It has taken place three times so far (2020, 2021, 2023).
Problems and Purpose
Participants were asked to deliberate and provide input on key issues impacting citizens in Bogotá.
This process is ongoing for four years from 2020.
Background History and Context
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Demolab helped organise and facilitate the assemblies. iDeemos also made significant contributions to the assemblies.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
Participants were recruited through random stratified sampling.
For the first assembly, 110 participants were involved. [1]
Methods and Tools Used
The itinerant citizens' assembly follows the typical citizens' assembly model when it comes to deliberations, but is innovative in that it involves multiple citizens' assemblies that build on each other, and that involve a (stratified) random selection of citizens in each of the assemblies. The assemblies take place at various times throughout the political cycle, and consequently means that each assembly responds to a different aspect of the same issue (e.g. "broad objectives", "policy", and evaluation"). This is seen as a "spiral method" where each deliberative chapter builds on the previous one, with citizens learning from each other and strengthening understanding and recommendations in the process. [2]
Since there are multiple citizens' assemblies in the itinerant citizens' assembly, more citizens have the opportunity to be involved in the deliberative process over time.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
For the first assembly in 2020, once participants were gathered, the assembly was broken into six committees that focused on different topics. Councilors helped to decide these topics. Participants then underwent a training stage over two weeks that was tailored to each of their topics. This included expert presentations and various other information sources. [3]
Deliberation took place on 5 and 12 December. The first day involved an overview of the issues Bogota face along with time to deliberate on aims for the city to pursue. The second day involved participants moving to other committees to strengthen the aims proposed on the first day, and ended with participants presenting their recommendations to Council. [4]
Deliberations for the first assembly involved 110 participants and took place online. Facebook Live was used by experts for presentations, which was made available to the broader public. Participants received financial remuneration for their participation. [5]
As this is in iterant assembly, each citizens' assembly (or chapter) builds on the previous one. [6]
In 2021, the second itinerant citizens' assembly building on the 2020 assembly worked with the #LaRutaPOT "citizen participation strategy" that involved planning for the next 20 years. It involved 63 participants (18 from the first chapter) who were split into 7 committees. Recommendations were presented to council and made publicly available. [7] & [8]
In 2023, the aim of the itinerant citizens' assembly was to develop a vision for the next four years to 2027 about the key issues policy makers need to prioritize for their time in office. There were roughly 120 participants in this iteration, split into four committees (further split into three groups of 10 each) that focused on a different topic. [9]
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
There was strong support and attendance by the Council, including both the outgoing and incoming presidents. As part of this, the council had made a commitment to review the recommendations. [10]
Analysis and Lessons Learned
See Also
iDeemos overview: https://ideemos.org/asamblea-ciudadana-itinerante-del-concejo-de-bogota/
Westminster Foundation for Democracy overview: https://www.wfd.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/WFD_newDemocracy_An-introduction-to-deliberative-democracy-for-members-of-parliament_2021.pdf
Council of Bogotá: https://concejodebogota.gov.co/llega-al-concejo-de-bogota-la-tercera-asamblea-ciudadana-que-busca/cbogota/2023-05-23/084537.php
OIDP: https://participate.oidp.net/processes/award2023/f/277/proposals/3170?page=2
References
[1] OIDP (2023) Bogota: Itinerant Citizen Assembly. Accessed at: Bogotá: Itinerant Citizen Assembly - Deliberation - 2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation" - OIDP
[2] Westminster Foundation for Democracy (2021) Case studies: Colombia: Bogota's itinerant assemblies. Accessed at: WFD_newDemocracy_An-introduction-to-deliberative-democracy-for-members-of-parliament_2021.pdf
[3] iDeemos (2020) Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogota. Accessed at: Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogotá - Let's Idean (ideemos.org)
[4] Ibid.
[5] OECD (2021) Eight Ways to Institutionalise Deliberative Democracy. Accessed: Eight ways to institutionalise deliberative democracy (oecd-ilibrary.org)
[6] iDeemos (2020) Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogota. Accessed at: Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogotá - Let's Idean (ideemos.org)
[7] OIDP (2023) Bogota: Itinerant Citizen Assembly. Accessed at: Bogotá: Itinerant Citizen Assembly - Deliberation - 2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation" - OIDP
[8] OECD (2021) Eight Ways to Institutionalise Deliberative Democracy. Accessed: Eight ways to institutionalise deliberative democracy (oecd-ilibrary.org)
[9] OIDP (2023) Bogota: Itinerant Citizen Assembly. Accessed at: Bogotá: Itinerant Citizen Assembly - Deliberation - 2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation" - OIDP
[10] iDeemos (2020) Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogota. Accessed at: Itinerant Citizens' Assembly of the Council of Bogotá - Let's Idean (ideemos.org)