Rural Europe on the move English_chapt1_6 | Page 50

CHAPTER 4
THIS PAGE
4. Pembrokeshire, a territory with rich natural
and cultural heritage, here Newport
OPPOSITE
5. Narberth, small rural town
6. Stackpole Quay
7. Participants of our Civic Dialogue Workshop
in front of PLANED headquarters
Civic Dialogue
dialogue - cooperation between
We understand ‘civic dialogue’ as
a fusion between civic engagement
and territorial dialogue. We are
interested in concepts, practices
and problems related to citizens’
participation in rural decision-making,
(environmental mediation and rural
conflict resolution)
To illustrate this, I would like to
including collective initiatives. We take you to two great civic dialogue
facilitate dialogue between actors, workshops organised by Forum
opening a space for discussion and Synergies. Together, they flesh out
promoting mediation, consensus quite nicely the potential and breadth
building, and local involvement. of civic dialogue techniques. I take
Our ‘civic dialogue’ thematic you to Wales first, to the region of
programme deals with dialogue Pembrokeshire, before we head back
between opposing stakeholders. to Podlaskie, Poland in order to end
It aims at influencing policies that the story of the encounter I had with
have a strong impact on territories, the wolf. Our visit to Pembrokeshire
especially with regard to agriculture, was in 2015, and it was about learning
food, environment and social from a success story. Civic dialogue
cohesion. We facilitate informal strategies have been employed for
exchange between participants and some time in local decision-making
offer capacity-building in constructive structures. It is an efficient, effective
communication. system. Our visit to Poland, one year
In general, the topics of our training later, was about learning from an area
sessions are: that had almost no experience with
•  democracy (dialogue between
citizens and institutional actors)
•   civic engagement (territorial
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•
local actors and projects)
 dialogue and relationship building
civic dialogue. Our hosts were new,
ready to learn and keen to try out
some techniques.