CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY SCHOOL

April 2024 | Washington D.C.

Imagine a room filled with passionate advocates from across the U.S. and Canada, all united by a shared vision: to upgrade democracy through the power of Citizens’ Assemblies!

That's exactly what happened at our groundbreaking school in Washington, DC. Over an intensive two days, 40 participants from 16+ U.S. states and Canadian provinces came together to learn, strategize, and build community around this transformative democratic innovation.

The School was taught by global all-star lineup of speakers who’ve led assemblies on three continents. These expert practitioners shared a wealth of knowledge and hands-on training in the nuts and bolts of citizens' assembly design and facilitation. Our participants rolled up their sleeves and dove into how we can use democratic lotteries to bring together everyday people from all walks of life to tackle tough challenges. The skills and knowledge shared were pure gold!

The School generated a palpable sense of momentum and possibility. The energy in the room was electric as connections were forged and plans made to bring citizens' assemblies to communities across North America.

The 2024 Citizens’ Assembly School was just the beginning!

We await you in the next one!

PROGRAM

DAY 1

Art O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ireland’s Electoral Commission
Iain Walker – Executive Director, newDemocracy
Alex Renirie, Co-Director, Healthy Democracy
- Deep Division and Polarization - Lessons from Mostar (Yves Dejaeghere, Executive Director, FIDE)
- The German Deliberative Experience and Social Cohesion (Jacob Birkenhäger, Head of Business Unit, IFOK)
- Brussels and Mixed Deliberative Committees – Solving Public Problems with Elected Representatives (Jonathan Moskovic, Innovations Advisor to the Brussels Parliament)
- France, the CESE, National Citizens’ Conventions and Policy Impact (Juliette Agez or Kenza Occansey, Vice President, CESE)
Moderated by · Christine Lopes Metcalfe, Program Director, Local Policy Lab
Zakia Elvang, We Do Democracy, Executive Director
- Youth/Student Assemblies (Sarah Yaffe, MASS LBP, Director)
- The Local Policy Lab’s Democracy Plan (Laura Wood, Local Policy Lab, Vice President)
- Building and Leveraging Civic Assembly Ecosystems (Forrest Sparks, Climate Justice Hub, & Philip Lindsay, The Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and the Humanities)
- Deliberative Facilitation (Cont’d) (Zakia Elvang, We Do Democracy, Executive Director)

DAY 2

- Regulatory Assemblies and Digital Assemblies (Sarah Yaffe, MASS LBP, Director)
- Petaluma Fairgrounds Advisory Panel (Alex Renirie, Healthy Democracy, Co-Director)
- Unify Montrose (Matt/Harry, Unify America)
- Millcreek, Utah CA (Civic Genius/Younify/Mayor of Millcreek)
Moderated by Hollie Russon Gilman, Senior Fellow, New America
Amanda Borth, Associate Researcher, Consortium for Science Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University
Peter MacLeod, President and Founder, MASS LBP
- Youth/Student Assemblies (Sarah Yaffe, MASS LBP, Director)
- The Local Policy Lab’s Democracy Plan (Laura Wood, Local Policy Lab, Vice President)
- Building and Leveraging Civic Assembly Ecosystems (Forrest Sparks, Climate Justice Hub, & Philip Lindsay, The Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and the Humanities)
- Deliberative Facilitation (Cont’d) (Zakia Elvang, We Do Democracy, Executive Director)
Download here

SPEAKERS

Chief Executive of Ireland’s Electoral Commission
Session: Solving intractable problems: learnings from Ireland's experience in building a robust deliberative culture

Executive Director, We Do Democracy
Sessions:
- The secret sauce of citizens’ assemblies: deliberative facilitation
- Deliberative Facilitation

Director, MASS LBP
Sessions:
- An Overview of Citizens’ Assemblies in North America: Regulatory Assemblies and Digital Assemblies
- Youth/Student Assemblies

Executive Director, newDemocracy
Session: The most important question – How to frame a remit for impact

Executive Director, FIDE - Europe
Session: Youth/Student Assemblies : Deep Division and Polarization - Lessons from Mostar

Vice President, Local Policy Lab
Session: The Local Policy Lab’s Democracy Plan

Associate Researcher, Consortium for Science Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University
Session: Democracy & Science: Integrating Community and Stakeholder Values into Deliberation Design

Director, Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes and Local Policy Lab
Welcome remarks.

Head of Business Unit, IFOK
Session: Citizens’ Assemblies – Perspectives from around the world: The German Deliberative Experience and Social Cohesion

Program Co-Director at Healthy Democracy
Sessions:
- Democratic lottery, recruitment, and inclusion
- An Overview of Citizens’ Assemblies in North America: Petaluma Fairgrounds Advisory Panel

Senior Fellow, New America
Session:
- Moderator - An Overview of Citizens’ Assemblies in North America

Innovations Advisor to the Brussels Parliament
Session: Citizens’ Assemblies – Perspectives from around the world: Brussels and Mixed Deliberative Committees – Solving Public Problems with Elected Representatives

President and Founder, MASS LBP
Session: Landing with the Administration – how to build in follow-up and ensure government accountability

Executive Director, FIDE - North America
Welcome remarks.

Program Director, Local Policy Lab
Sessions:
- Citizens’ Assemblies – Perspectives from around the world, Moderator

The Assembly Project
Sessions:
- CUNY Assembly Process: how to build and leverage CA ecosystems

Democracy Innovation Program Manager, The Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and the Humanities
Session:
- CUNY Assembly Process: how to build and leverage CA ecosystems