Date: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Supported by: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Communities Organisation (ICO).
Place: Ledra Palace Hotel, Buffer Zone, Nicosia.
Overview
The Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Centre (CPDC) launched the first workshop of the C-Up initiative, aiming to explore how inclusive and democratic processes can help the leaders “walk the last mile”. The event featured speakers from grassroots organisations, civil society, academia, research organisations, international humanitarian organisations, women’s groups, youth organisations, and experienced negotiators.
The main hypothesis behind the C-Up initiative is that a carefully designed "deliberative democracy process" involving a representative cross-section of citizens can assist leaders in reaching a negotiated settlement for the Cyprus problem. The initiative aims to provide options for how such a process might be effectively run, without prescribing specific solutions.
Key Takeaways
Hybrid System of Evolving Methods: One could start with a citizens’ assembly, move to an elected assembly and then potentially to a constitutional assembly.
Citizens' Assembly Engagement: A citizens' assembly could address both everyday issues and major topics such as security and power-sharing. Artificial intelligence (AI) could reduce language-related costs, while community visits and social media could engage older and remote populations. Funding for such assemblies should be neutral.
Resilient Peace Scenario: A multi-track process with broad civil society engagement was proposed. This would include early warning systems, constructive dispute resolution mechanisms, restorative justice mechanisms, and citizen participation mechanisms.
Series Information
This workshop is the first of a seven-stage series designed to explore how deliberative democracy processes could address the long-standing Cyprus problem, which has yet to achieve a successful outcome after decades.
For the full event report, please click on the link below.
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