2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

19th Edition

Phase 4 of 8

Results open vote 28/03/2025 - 31/03/2025

Process phases

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The Valle del Cauca: A Paradise of Citizen Participation – Citizen Conversation Strategy

Official proposal

07/02/2025 11:19

Citizen Conversations is a citizen participation initiative implemented by the Government of Valle del Cauca since 2016, aimed at strengthening the dialogue between the state and the community. Its main focus is to promote inclusion, transparency, and accountability, involving citizens of all ages, ethnicities, socio-economic conditions, and diverse abilities. These spaces aim to improve trust between the government and the public, encourage participatory democracy, and prioritize projects that positively impact the department’s development.

The methodology is divided into three phases: preparation, development, and follow-up. In the preparation phase, preparatory workshops and technical visits are conducted to coordinate with institutional and community actors. During the conversation, thematic modules and working groups are organized to address specific issues, using tools to receive requests from those who do not have access to digital platforms. Projects are prioritized through voting, and concrete commitments are made. Follow-up is then carried out online through platforms like SIGESI, ensuring transparency and compliance.

Since 2024, 24 conversations have been held in as many municipalities, with over 130,000 participants, benefiting more than 3.5 million people and establishing over 1,256 commitments. The practice has strengthened social cohesion, inclusion, and collaborative governance, positioning itself as an innovative model of citizen participation in Colombia. The innovation in the practice lies in using technology not only to facilitate citizen participation but also to track and follow up on their requests. Live broadcasts, interactive games for training citizens, and educational booklets for children are available on a web platform.

The results have been significant: greater coordination between departmental offices and the community has improved public management and focused interventions on the territory's progress. Citizen Conversations has proven to be an effective mechanism to combat multidimensional poverty, bring citizens closer to entities that previously did not address their needs, and consolidate a culture of participation and transparency in Valle del Cauca.