Why do I need certain people to represent me in matters of public interest? Who decides on how to best dispose of the public resources to meet the private needs of individuals and communities? Are only politicians entitled to make decisions for future generations to come? When and how do we become citizens, and how do we exercise our civic rights?
Drawing inspiration from the international initiative, Citizen Foresight EU, funded by the CERV program, BISI brought together local politicians, political scientists and young people to debate those and many more questions about the future of the EU. On June 7, 2024, we organized a public discussion with over 40 participants, asking them to deliberate on the role of citizens and politicians in the democratic process and in the formulation of inclusive, responsive, and just visions for the future of our communities. Only days before the elections for EUP in Bulgaria, young people from Sofia got an opportunity to defend their views in an open debate with the seasoned experts. Discussions centered on the role of education (and civic education, for that matter) for being able to exercise your rights as a citizen and the limits of civic liberties. The young participants aptly argued that citizen participation today is informed by different values and manifests different concerns for the future, compared to those of previous generations. The unprecedented access to digital technologies has entirely transformed the way that young people perceive the world, learn, and envision their own future lives. Our society is facing multiple challenges as it goes through deep social and economic transitions, and both politicians and citizens share the responsibility for ensuring that no one is left behind in that process.
The Citizen Foresight EU projectwill explore more topics linked to the implications of those transitions for liberal democracy and the modern polity. BISI is planning more events aimed to spur reflection and generate constructive debate on the issues. Follow the BISI website, Facebook and LinkedIn to stay in touch.
The project is funded by the European Union under the call CERV-2023-CITIZENS-CIV — Citizens’ engagement and participation EU Grants.
