The Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly formulated initial proposals
Over the weekend, the second session of the Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly took place, concluding with the assembly members compiling nearly 70 initial proposals for the development of the city’s green areas.
The Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly is deliberating on the subject of urban greenery in October and November and is seeking an answer to the question “How to connect Tallinn’s green areas into an inviting, citywide whole?”. On Sunday, the assembly’s initial joint proposals were put down on paper after four substantive days of work.
“It is very satisfying that almost 70 proposals were brought together; this is a very good result. A lot of work has been done, and when the proposals were put on paper, you could see satisfaction on the faces of the assembly members. The proposals will be sent for expert review, and the assembly will be given the opportunity to refine, specify, and perfect them. The goal is to ensure that the voice of Tallinn’s residents on urban greenery issues reaches the decision-makers as clearly and loudly as possible,” said the head organizer of the assembly, Maiu Lauring from the Democracy Center (DD).
The initial proposals of the assembly will be sent for feedback to the experts who presented on the first day and to the experts at the Tallinn Strategic Management Office. The assembly members chose an 11-member working group from among themselves to review the feedback and finalize the proposals.
The full assembly will meet again on November 4, where the proposals will be finalized, presented for a vote, and any proposal with at least 80% support will be handed over to the Tallinn City Government.
The assembly first convened on October 7-8 at Fotografiska. During the first weekend, participants received as diverse and balanced knowledge as possible on topics related to the assembly’s overarching question from experts and representatives of interest groups, building confidence and courage for formulating proposals.
During the second weekend, on October 14-15, assembly members listened to a presentation by the City of Tallinn on green areas and spatial planning. People sat at tables with at least five members, each table also had a discussion leader who helped formulate ideas and proposals put forth during the table discussions. It was evident that the messages from experts and interest groups were taken seriously, as reflected in the discussions and questions directed towards the city’s representatives.
The Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly program follows an internationally established structure. The 50-member assembly consists of residents aged 16 and older, forming a representative sample of Tallinn based on socioeconomic and geographical aspects.
The assembly is a co-creative process based on knowledge and discussions, where decisions are made by a mini-public representing the citizenry. The organization of the Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly is consulted by the Democracy Center (DD), which is developing and testing the assembly format for the sake of sustainable development.
For more information about the Green Capital Citizens’ Assembly, visit greentallinn.ee/rahvakogu.
Additional information:
Tuuli Veersalu, Tallinn Strategy Center Green Shift Bureau, tuuli.veersalu@tallinnlv.ee
Maiu Lauring, Democracy Center, maiu@domusdorpatensis.org
Photos: Ardo Kaljuvee
