CPU 2012
by Ioana Traista, PACT Foundation
We can measure the success of an event in many ways: number of participants,
their feedback, a wide range of speakers and so on. I tend to speak about an
event if I go home with a decent number of questions. Between 9 and 13 of July,
I represented PACT Foundation at the Citizens Participation University held in
Kunbabony, Hungary. Before going there, the agenda seemed more than
interesting. It was "featuring" topics about the crisis and how it can influence the
civil society, it promised us a series of various solutions and, at the same time, it
mentioned a wide range of professionals working in the community development
and community organizing fields.
Being there, I realized that the Citizens Participation University was more than a
gathering between three important networks: CEE CN (Central and Eastern
European Citizens Network), ECON (European Community Organizing Network)
and CEBSD (Combined European Bureau for Social Development), but a state of
the mind. Most people knew each other, knew about their work, so in between
the sessions they were building new stories: exchanging good practices,
updating themselves about the changes that had happened in their
organizations, talking about activism at all levels. But the story of this year's
edition is made of many elements.
First of all, the place - the Residential Training Center of the Civil College has an
interesting history. The community center used to be the local school. The
approx. 400-square meter building was transformed into a large „family mansion”
with wonderful gardens where the sessions were held. Most trainings held here
are for civil and community activists (often Roma groups, unemployed
people, community groups of disadvantaged areas), who learn how to
think from their community’s point of view, and learn civil action
techniques.
Secondly, at the Citizens Participation University the three networks CEE CN
(Central and Eastern European Citizens Network), ECON (European Community
Organizing Network) and CEBSD (Combined European Bureau for Social
Development) launched the European Platform for Active Citizens with the aim to
rethink the role of citizens and to ensure their voice is included at the local,
national and European level.
Thirdly, the sessions were build in such a way in order to offer all of us a complex
perspective on civil society and participation adapted to the situation nowadays,
on a global, as well as on a local level. The first days focused on the crisis and
reactions, while the last days we talked about chances, solutions, and practices.
We talked about trying to find solutions within the system or to fight the system in
order to produce change. Moreover, some speakers underlined the importance to
face the crisis through transnational solutions, they raised questions such as
what are the steps from actions to movements and how to define our role in
defining new paradigms. Consequently, the questions and answers are different
for all of us. The most important question that has stayed with me so far is How
do we strengthen civil society and the citizens? Most of the time we tend to
associate civil society with civil society organizations and we have the feeling we
know best what's happening with our beneficiaries or target audience in general.
The Civicus Report: Broadening cilvil spec through voluntary actions: Lessons
2011 states that there are two types of gaps that we all are facing, as citizens, as
well as civil society organizations representatives. The first one I would have
expected: the gap between civil society organizations versus the state and the
market. The second one was not so obvious for me at that time: the gap between
civil society organizations and the citizens. Thinking in perspective, we tend to
forget that we, as NGOs, are not the last and only force within the civil society
and if we forget to listen to each other, we might lose our contact with the reality.
I heard stories of local governments working together with the community, other
tales about communities that needed someone to listen to their problems so that
they can feel they can be a part of the call to change. In itself, it is harder for us
to listen than to speak and, as civil society, we need to listen more in order to
foster more active citizens and concrete solutions to the challenges we are all
facing.
Hence, I came back from the Citizens Participation University with many new
resources that I need to check further, but most importantly - I brought along
several new questions and issues that will help me define better our work at
PACT Foundation, and my own work and contribution as a citizen, as well as a
member of PACT Foundation's team.