G1000 - Doing democracy better
- jonmoskovic
- Dec 9, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Dec 13, 2024
Strategy - Training - Conference - Advocacy
Between 2014 and 2019, I had the opportunity to co-coordinate the G1000 after writing my Master thesis (political science) on the dynamics of domination within the G1000 and the Irish Constitutional Convention.
My main tasks included:
advising (inter)national institutions interested in embarking on the deliberative journey;
speaking at numerous conferences to present the process.
About the G1000
The G1000 is a citizen-driven initiative aimed at improving democratic governance by involving ordinary people in collective decision-making processes. Originating in Belgium in 2011, it sought to explore how deliberative democracy could address societal challenges and strengthen trust in democratic systems.
Key Features of the G1000:
1. Citizen Assemblies
The G1000 organized large-scale deliberative events where 1000 randomly selected citizens from diverse backgrounds came together to discuss pressing issues. These assemblies aimed to represent the population and provide recommendations to policymakers.
2. Focus on Dialogue and Deliberation
Participants engaged in facilitated discussions to deliberate on complex topics, allowing for informed and respectful exchanges of perspectives. The goal was to reach common ground rather than to compete for majority opinions.
3. Non-Partisan Approach
The initiative was intentionally independent of political parties or specific ideological agendas. Its focus was on creating a neutral platform for citizen input.
4. Themes
The G1000 tackled issues such as unemployment, social security, and immigration—topics that are often divisive but critical for the public.
5. Global Influence
The G1000 inspired similar deliberative initiatives worldwide, becoming a reference point for experiments in participatory and deliberative democracy.