A week of reflection and action
On March 20, Reus became a nucleus of citizen debate and interaction, within the framework of Open Government Week. This edition, for the first time decentralized, was promoted by the Generalitat de Catalunya, with the intention of fostering transparency and collaboration between administrations and citizens.
A space for participatory innovation
The day called ‘New perspectives on participation in the municipalities’ took place in the Women’s Center in Reus. Organized by the Department of Good Governance, Transparency and Participation, together with the Directorate General of Open Government, he brought together several key players, including the Mayor of Reus, Sandra Guaita, and Lara Torres, CEO of Open Government.
Round table: Practical experiences in participation
One of the highlights of the day was the round table entitled ‘Citizen participation in the City Council of Reus’. This session served to share the experience of Reus as a model for other municipalities, focusing on a specific project of participatory budgets: the adaptation of kindergartens for children with different capacities.
Various voices: politics, citizenship and technique
Representatives of the municipal teams, citizens involved and technicians in education participated in the round table. This dialogue allowed a richer understanding of how a collaborative project can be built and executed, with a special emphasis on transparency and accountability.
Presentation of innovative initiatives and programs
Lara Torres took the opportunity to present a draft law that seeks to strengthen citizen participation in Catalonia. In addition, Leonardo Díaz, coordinator of the Public Participation Policy panel, shared the most recent results of this initiative, highlighting the improvements in public policies.
New in municipal participation
The Decidim Catalunya service, presented by Rubén Jericó and Albert Teixell, was designed as a tool to facilitate participation in smaller municipalities, while Carola Castellà presented the Democratic Quality Guide of the Diputació de Barcelona, a fundamental tool to guarantee good governance.
A future of active participation
Open Government Week will extend until May 23, with a program full of conferences and seminars that will address innovative initiatives and proposals to improve transparency and citizen participation. Collaboration between administrations and citizens is more important than ever in the construction of a more open and accessible government.
