YoungAction for YouropeVision
Democracy a Daily Challenge and a Value to Defend
Democracy is the opposite of monarchy and it represents
our freedom of speech, religion and political opinion. In the
past it was very hard to abolish tyrannies or dictatorships
and for this reason it is our duty as citizens to protect it.
The main advantage in democracy is that the power is in
people’s hands. In fact they elect their representatives that
decide for the whole community.
Another important positive aspect is the Constitution, which
is a set of rules to grant the equality in front of the law and
the inviolability of human rights.
Nowadays it is not easy to have democracy because for
example in Italy the number of our representatives is quite
high and sometimes the decisions they make are good
only for a small part of the population. However as we have
elected them everyone should respect the laws passed by
the Parliament.
Each citizen should try to do his/her best to defend his/her
rights, go to vote when we have elections, express his/Her
opinion about important matters and at the same time they
have to respect the law. This is the only way to protect
democracy from threatens….Its existence depends on us
and we mustn’t take it for granted.
Lorenzo M-Italy
Definition of a Citizen City
Being a citizen city requires a real political
commitment that must be translated into
practical measures (transparency in the
decisions taken, information of existing
democratic bodies, etc...) but also through a
more general consideration of citizens' use
expertise.
A Collaborative City: Collectively Building a
Culture and Practice of Participation. A
Transparent City: Reporting and Justifying
Territorial Initiatives and Decisions. An
Understandable City: Making Devices
Readable, Functioning and competence of the
territory. An inclusive city: Transmit and apply
citizen and republican values. A city of
solidarity: Facilitate the creation of social links
between all. A city of value: Consider the actors
to better involve them. A committed city:
Strengthening social and solidarity
responsibility.
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The 7 criteria of the citizen city label:
A collaborative city (collectively build a culture
and a practice of participation)
A transparent city (report and justify the
initiatives and decisions of the territory)
An understandable city (make the devices,
functions and competences of the territory
readable)
An inclusive city (transmit and apply the values
of citizens and republicans) A city of solidarity
(facilitate the creation of social links between
all)
A city of value (consider actors to better involve
them) A committed city (carry shared
commitments)
Manon-France