The launch of the Community of Practice on deliberative democracy in South-East Europe took place on 14 November 2024 in Tirana, Albania.

Co-ordinated by NALAS in partnership with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Community will promote democratic innovations and deliberative democracy as a meaningful complement to other forms of citizen participation.

The Community brings together 18 local authorities and 7 local government associations, members of NALAS, that will engage in peer exchanges and capacity development on citizens assemblies.

In his opening speech, NALAS’ Executive Director Mr. Kelmend Zajazi emphasised how crucial citizen empowerment and active participation are in reinforcing public trust in governance and building cohesion in our societies.

“At NALAS, we believe that sustainable, smart, inclusive, and resilient local communities can only be achieved when citizens have a meaningful voice in decision-making. The project we are embarking on is not just about theoretical discussions, but about real, practical innovations in citizen engagement. By leveraging deliberative democracy, we aim to co-create solutions with the people, ensuring that their voices shape local policies”, said Mr. Zajazi.

During this kick-off meeting, more than 40 participants exchanged on good practices and trends in citizen engagement in local policy making, and learnt about notions and characteristics of deliberative democracy from experts, academics and practitioners from the region.  The event set a good basis for further co-operation and initiatives for enhanced and inclusive local governance in the region.

The Community of Practice is established as part of the project “Promoting deliberative democracy and innovative approaches to citizen participation in South-East Europe”, implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in partnership with NALAS, and with financial support of Germany.