Participatory Budgeting in Sweden
This project runs upon the implementation of participatory budget in Sweden. SALAR initiated a project in 2006, named “Engagement and citizen dialogue” that works with several thematic networks with the aim of developing methods of involving citizens in public decisions through different instruments. One specific network seeks the promotion of participatory budget techniques. SALAR identified CES as an international source of important knowledge on themes of deliberative democracy and, mainly, within the participatory budget. Thus, CES was invited to carry out a series of activities that follow the thematic root of the Swedish project, for a period of 4 years. This period began in early 2007 with some interchange activities between Sweden and Portugal that involved stays of Swedish administrators and SALAR in the Lisbon area and field trips to Portuguese participatory budgets. Now, this collaboration was extended for a 2-years additional period. The CES participation seeks, mainly, the following: discuss, implement and diffuse the Swedish participatory budget, through a series of scientific activities, such as seminars, work meetings, individual consultancies, preparatory visits towards the integration of other European cities in the Swedish participatory budget promotion network, publications among others.
brainstorming about Participatory Budgeting (PB); organization of a seminar on the relationship between government and municipalism in Sweden and democratic process in Sweden; organization of a study visit to Lisbon by elected members of Vara local government and SALAR; organization of a research seminar about PB; implementation of PB in Sweden; elaboration of “72 frequent questions about PB in Sweden”; translation and publication of documents; development of a PB network in Sweden; organization of the final meeting of the Swedish PB network; international promotion of the network its events, among others.