The need for us to become ‘global citizens’ in global cities is one of the important issues we face today. How can we as citizens make a difference at the global level? How can we organise our cities to amplify the voices of their citizens? How can cities and local governments ensure effective democratic decision-making at all times – and not just on election days? How can the world’s cities link up to magnify their impact and reach on a global scale? These are some of the questions we will address at the 7th Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, in the eternal city of Rome.

At the 2018 global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, we will work to define the particular characteristics of what makes a city global and democratic—and enshrine those definitions in a charter for the world’s “democracy cities.” This charter will afterwards remain available as an invitation to our communities and cities to sign – and build the links necessary to make each other more democratic and more impactful.

The Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy favours a multidisciplinary approach, welcoming participants from academic, political and civil society perspectives. It is attended by activists, organisations and academics from all over the world who work on topics of direct democracy and citizen participation. The goal is to bring together people with different experiences and backgrounds, so as to give activists and organisations the opportunity to share their insights and connect with others working on the same issues. The last Global Forum was attended by participants from over 30 countries on six continents. 2018 will be an especially festive edition, as we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Global Forum, which took place for the first time in 2008 in Aarau, Switzerland.

The 2018 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy will take place from 26 to 29 September 2018 in Rome. Because we want to give everyone who is interested the chance to take part, participation in the forum is free of charge. Registrations are open at 2018globalforum.com.

A pre-tour will also take place ahead of the forum, which will cover the history of democracy and the current democratic landscape of the city of Rome. This will take place from 24 to 26 September and in contrast to the actual Forum will be subject to a participation fee. More details and the complete conference programme will be available on our website in the coming months.