Around 40 participants, representatives of municipal and cantonal administrations from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathered this week in Jahorina to learn and exchange views regarding the adoption and practical application of local democracy innovations, deliberative processes and citizens' assemblies.

The purpose of the three-day workshop “Citizens' assemblies as a mechanism of deliberative participation: challenges and perspectives in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” held on 10-12 June 2025, was to introduce innovative practices and deliberative processes to the local authorities and provide practical guidelines on how to organise a citizens' assembly with the help of Council of Europe experts and specially trained facilitators.

Participants explored the principles and practical applications of citizens’ assemblies as tools to enhance democratic participation at the local level. Building on the successful experiences in Mostar, Banja Luka, and more recently in the wider Sarajevo region, the workshop featured expert presentations, peer-learning sessions, and simulation exercises designed to improve participants’ understanding of deliberative processes and innovative democratic practices.

Local authorities can support innovation in democracy by applying approaches complementary to representative democracy and providing space for active involvement of their citizens in developing policies that shape their community. This reflects the growing consensus that engaging citizens in dialogue and co-creation of policies can reinforce democratic legitimacy, as further underscored by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, in his 2025 report “Towards A New Democratic Pact for Europe”. 

The activity was organised in co-operation with the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Association of Municipalities and Cities of Republika Srpska.

The workshop was implemented as part of the project “Strengthening democratic innovations and promoting human rights at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, implemented by the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025.

 Watch video: Innovations for stronger civic participation: Citizens' assembly simulation for local representatives