Designing Open Democracy — Landscape News: Deliberative Democracy

Folio Collective: Should we celebrate democracy today — or reimagine it for tomorrow?

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Notable — Global dialogue marking International Day of Democracy

we’re joined by Lisa Witter and Josh Lerner, two leading democratic innovators whose work traverses continents and the democratic ecosystem, from communities to public servants and elected representatives

Landscape profile: Folio Collective · Source

Australia · Deliberative Democracy · Collective Intelligence

888 Co-operative Causeway: Co-hosting "International Day of Democracy: democracy beyond the ballot box" panel with Designing Open Democracy

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Public panel co-hosted for International Day of Democracy

Panel at the Kelvin Club — the members' club 888 provides workspace access to — on democratic practices beyond voting. Confirmed panel of four — Nicholas Gruen (Lateral Economics), Anitra Nelson (University of Melbourne), Godfrey Moase (CoPower), and Nicole Hunter (MosaicLab).

Hosted by 888 Co-operative Causeway in partnership with Designing Open Democracy.

Landscape profile: 888 Co-operative Causeway, Designing Open Democracy · Source

Australia · Cooperative · Employee Ownership Trusts · Worker Cooperatives · Economic Democracy · Meta-Organisation · Deliberative Democracy · Accountability Sink · Cybernetic Governance

Consul Democracy: ConsulCon 2026 — three-day gathering on digital democracy and open-source civic tech, Munich

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Flagship conference/summit

The CONSUL DEMOCRACY Foundation in collaboration with the Landeshauptstadt München organises the next ConsulCon on 15-17 September 2026 in München, Germany.

Landscape profile: Consul Democracy · Source

Germany · Democracy Apps & Tools · Direct Democracy · Deliberative Democracy · Participatory Budgeting · E-Government · Citizens’ Assembly

newDemocracy Foundation: Launches the second edition of the "Democracy Beyond Elections" citizens’ assemblies handbook at UN Headquarters in New York, produced with UNDP and the UN Democracy Fund

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Publication launch with UN agencies

newDemocracy announced that outgoing Executive Director Iain Walker would launch the handbook’s second edition at UN Headquarters on International Day of Democracy. The handbook itself was published on newDemocracy’s site on 14 September 2026 and is free to download. newDemocracy has since advised that a short video edit of the launch will be published (newDemocracy correspondence, September 2026).

On 15 September, International Day of Democracy, Iain will travel to New York to launch the second edition of our book, Democracy Beyond Elections: A Handbook on Citizens’ Assemblies.

Landscape profile: newDemocracy Foundation · Source

Australia · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Sortition · Isegoria · Cognitive Division of Labour

newDemocracy Foundation: Kyle Redman appointed Executive Director as Iain Walker steps back to Director, Advocacy after 15 years

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Leadership transition

Walker remains with the foundation part-time as Director, Advocacy and joins the Board alongside Kathy Jones, Lyn Carson and Luca Belgiorno-Nettis.

After 15 years at the helm of the newDemocracy Foundation, Executive Director Iain Walker is stepping aside, and the Board is pleased to announce that Kyle Redman has been appointed Executive Director.

Landscape profile: newDemocracy Foundation · Source

Australia · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Sortition · Isegoria · Cognitive Division of Labour

We Do Democracy: Democracy Fitness Trainer camp — Copenhagen

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Notable — Facilitator training camp, not a public conference

Join the open international Democracy Fitness camp this September in Copenhagen to learn new facilitation methods and get a deeper understanding of democracy as something that needs training.

Landscape profile: We Do Democracy · Source

Denmark · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Sortition

SoCentral: Arendalsuka 2026 — multiple sessions on green transition, fjord restoration, and sport inclusion, Arendal Norway

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Flagship conference/summit

Om du er interessert i grønn omstilling, hvordan få til samarbeid, skogbevaring, grønnvasking, OsloFjorden eller inkludering i idrett - det finnes et arrangement for deg på Arendalsuka

Landscape profile: SoCentral · Source

Norway · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Cooperative

Conversations at the Crossroads: Convened "Reclaiming Democracy Together" national launch at Melbourne Town Hall, marking the 125th anniversary of Australia's first federal parliament

Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Platform/product launch

On 9 May 2026, we gather to launch Reclaiming Democracy Together — an ambitious seven-year project. The aim: to rethink and revitalise democratic life in Australia, and beyond.

Landscape profile: Conversations at the Crossroads · Source

Australia · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Democracy

Gorée Institute: Hosted its 9th Annual Symposium, refocusing its strategic priorities on youth and women

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Notable — Strategic pivot of the Institute's flagship annual symposium

Translation: "For this 2026 edition, the Gorée Institute made the strategic choice to refocus its priorities on youth and women, who represent nearly 70% of the population." Per Executive Director Doudou Dia, the first eight editions were mainly academic reflection; the 9th marks a deliberate pivot toward action, inclusion, and youth/women-led co-construction of solutions to democratic challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.

Pour cette édition 2026, le Gorée Institute a fait le choix stratégique de recentrer ses priorités sur les jeunes et les femmes, qui représentent près de 70 % de la population.

Landscape profile: Gorée Institute · Source

Senegal · Democracy · Deliberative Democracy · Representative Democracy

Labsus — Laboratorio per la Sussidiarietà: Hosted the second edition of the Festival dell'Amministrazione Condivisa in Assisi, drawing 350+ participants

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Notable — Flagship annual festival, second edition

Translation: "This year too we gathered in Assisi for the second edition of the 'Festival for Shared Administration of Common Goods,' from 26 to 28 March, with the goal of building and strengthening relationships between citizens, institutions, public and private bodies, the Third Sector, and collective organisations." Over 350 people attended from across Italy, promoted jointly by the Municipality of Assisi, Labsus, and the University of Perugia's Department of Political Sciences.

Anche quest’anno ci siamo ritrovati ad Assisi per la seconda edizione del “Festival dell’Amministrazione condivisa dei beni comuni”, dal 26 al 28 marzo, con l’obiettivo di creare e rendere sempre più solide le relazioni fra cittadini, istituzioni, enti pubblici e privati, Terzo settore e organizzazioni collettive.

Landscape profile: Labsus — Laboratorio per la Sussidiarietà · Source

Italy · Deliberative Democracy · Participatory Budgeting · Democracy Apps & Tools

Movilizatorio: Won the Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Award 2026 at Davos, the first Colombian organisation to do so in its category

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Major — Major international recognition

Translation: "This is the organisation Movilizatorio, which received the Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Award 2026, one of the world's most important recognitions in social innovation and entrepreneurship, presented in partnership with the World Economic Forum during its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland." Corrects this page's earlier "2025" references (in the frontmatter summary and body prose) — multiple independent sources (El País Cali, El Tiempo, El Colombiano, Semana, Portafolio) confirm the award was presented 20-21 January 2026 during the WEF's 56th Annual Meeting, not 2025.

Se trata de la organización Movilizatorio que recibió el Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Award 2026, uno de los reconocimientos más importantes del mundo en innovación y emprendimiento social, entregado en alianza con el Foro Económico Mundial durante su Reunión Anual en Davos, Suiza.

Landscape profile: Movilizatorio · Source

Colombia · Democracy Apps & Tools · Deliberative Democracy · Democracy

Espacio Público: Named among the "100 Think Tanks to Watch 2025" by On Think Tanks — the only Chilean think tank on the list

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Notable — International peer recognition

Translation: "Espacio Público was included among the 100 Think Tanks to Watch 2025, an On Think Tanks initiative that highlights research centres worldwide for their innovation, collaboration and impact." The page states Espacio Público is the only Chilean think tank in this edition. A peer-nominated recognition, not a ranking.

Espacio Público fue incluido entre los 100 Think Tanks to Watch 2025, una iniciativa de On Think Tanks que destaca a centros de estudio de todo el mundo por su innovación, colaboración e impacto.

Landscape profile: Espacio Público · Source

Chile · Democracy · Radical Transparency · Deliberative Democracy