About Us
DemoRest is a project powered by Extituto de Política Abierta and belongs to the Democratic Innovation work line of this organization. Furthermore, it’s the first deliberative democracy network in the global South.
We’ve come a long way in this journey. DemoReset started in 2021. In it’s first version, we:
- Gathered organizations to identify their needs and challenges.
- Created exchange experiences sessions where organizations got to know each other.
- Launched the #DemoTALKS masterclasses to strengthen the knowledge about deliberation in other formats.
- Built the deliberation laboratory DemoReset Lab, where we had the opportunity to experiment and work together to solve five deliberation challenges and created 5 prototype solutions that were tested in an exchange program
Why the South?
In the South we can find experience solutions, proposals, and practices that nurture democracy. While it strengthens the unique practices of each context, it also finds common ground between institutional and ancestral models of decision-making.
In a world where democracy is constantly questioned, and distrust in institutional and traditional forms of government is increasing, civil society provides an opportunity to deepen our exploration and reencounter the deliberative practices of the global South. The time has come to recognize how communities have developed unique forms of conversation, argumentation, and decision-making in different contexts, where global and local governance can thrive.
The South faces multiple challenges when it comes to deliberative processes.
BE PART OF THIS GLOBAL NETWORK: DEMO.RESET
This phase will contribute to enable the exchange among all practitioners of democratic deliberation. Although knowledge…
IDENTIFY THE WALLS OF DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY
Recognizes the impact of the first phase, reinforcing the thematic sub-groups of deliberation previously…
WEAVING OUR EXPERIENCES
Seeks t implement the solutions, methodologies, etc., previously co-created as prototypes. This means that phase 2 will provide prototype tools, methodologies and…
JUMPING THE WALLS INTO A DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY
In this Last Phase the team provides recommendations to improve the efficiency practice were identified…
Yet, the South is where adversity is overcome by implementing creative strategies, forging connections, decolonizing the past and weaving new conversations for a transformative future.
Demo Reset 1
We’ve brought together insights from over 100 organizations across the Global South, including Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America, all with the common goal of revitalizing our democracies.
In Demoreset 1.0, participants seamlessly blended their ideas, setting out on a transformative path to reshape democracy in the Global South. Through the Global South Civic Innovation Lab (Demo.Reset/Lab), participants worked together to create practical tools and solutions, addressing the challenges organizations face when deploying democratic innovation.
Discover the transformative journey of Demo.Reset 1 and explore the innovative solutions that emerged during this process.
Discoveries
The participating organizations stated that they encountered certain barriers to their deliberation processes, such as:
Correspond strictly to the social, environmental, political, security and/or economic environment that may have hindered or determined the development of an initiative.
Those faced by the organization in terms of available internal resources, whether economic, technical, technological or human.
They are understood as those boundaries and biases that limited the type of population that participated in the initiative, ranging from accessibility, dissemination formats, language, logistics, etc. They are restricted only at the moment of defining and channeling the participating population.
These are those that condition the right to organize and dialogue, deliberate and influence the management of a public interest. They emphatically address the inclusion of actors, contexts, interests and objectives.
Among the deliberative processes, it is recognized as the most difficult moment, since the decision-making exercise requires prioritizing and/or discarding arguments and exposed needs, so these barriers address issues of coherence, inclusiveness, controversy closure, among others.
Correspond to the management, systematization, analysis and processing of information or collective knowledge of the deliberation process and the communication of results.
Demo Reset 2
We will follow the stories of multiple organizations, alliances, and deliberative practices that share common challenges and solutions through the perspectives of change agents (Demoreseters).
Our goals is to create collective action strategies, and to jump, deconstruct and reconfigure the barriers of deliberation. What to Expect:
- Explore 5 Key Regions: Southeast Asia and India, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
- Personal Guidance: A dedicated Regional Mobilizer in each hub will be your companion throughout the journey.
- Learning Opportunities: With Extituto, we offer a unique mentoring model. Gain technical and methodological insights to strengthen your deliberative processes in your regions of interest.
Who Can Join:
- Organizations: Currently implementing democracy or deliberation projects in the 5 regions.
- Activists and Advocates: If you're passionate about improving democracy and continuing to be an activist for Global South processes, join the Demoreseters community.
- Two Ways to Engage:
- Apply for Calls: Organizations can register for calls to actively participate
- Stay Connected: Individuals can join the broader Demoreseters community, accessing tools and materials to support their ongoing involvement.
Ready to shape the future of deliberative democracy?