Active citizens and participatory governments are fundamental features of every modern democracy. When it comes to addressing major global challenges — from education to welfare, migration and climate change — social movements and local governments serve as the practical rescue teams for fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the concept of people power: transparency, accountability, delegation and participation.

Please join us for the 6th Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy this autumn in Donostia/San Sebastian — the European Capital of Culture in the Spanish part of the Basque Country.

In the new climate of change created in the city following the cessation of terrorist violence, San Sebastian’’s citizens and council have been working together to consolidate citizen participation in the different phases and areas of municipal decision-making,

We’’re transforming this beautiful city on the Atlantic Coast into a beacon of democracy and urban community living.

The forum is hosted by The Muncipality of Donostia/San Sebastian and the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy Consortium (which includes the Initiative & Referendum Institute, Democracy International, Zócalo Public Square and people2power.info) in cooperation with partners and sponsors like International IDEA, The Council of Europe and Swissinfo.ch.

For information about the preliminary program, click here

A note to members of Democracy International: this year’s general assembly will take place in San Sebastian as part of the Global Forum.

In case of any queries please contact Andreas Müller: mueller@2016globalforum.com

The Global Forum Process:

The first Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy took place in September 2008 in Aarau/Switzerland, gathering professionals and activists from politics, academia, media, cicil society, business, administration working/interested in active citizenship and participatory democracy. Since then the Global Forum has become the premier worlwide meeting place for a growing community interested in democratizing democracy, with Forums in Seoul (2009), San Francisco (2010), Montevideo (2012) and Tunisia (2012). At each forum a common declaration was established offering insights into the state of the art of Modern Direct Democracy and recommendations to go forward.