Bosnia and Herzegovina’s local leaders are putting democratic innovation on the world stage at the 2025 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Spain, engaging in a range of discussions from citizens’ assemblies to protecting human and civil rights in the digital environment.

Supported by the Council of Europe, representatives of city and municipal authorities from Sarajevo, Mostar, Brčko District, Doboj, Travnik, and Mrkonjić Grad, together with the associations of municipalities and cities from both BiH entities, are taking part in the summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz which brings together more than 2,000 representatives of governments, civil society leaders, and policy-makers from across the world to exchange experiences, best practices, and progress on open government reforms.

At a dedicated session on deliberative democracy, representatives of Sarajevo and Mostar administrations highlighted their experience of successfully organising citizens’ assemblies - innovative forums that strengthen dialogue between residents and local institutions. The Mayor of Travnik contributed to a panel on how national and local authorities can collaborate more effectively to deliver open government commitments.

“Taking part in this international summit was a valuable experience for our delegation. It gave us the chance to engage with colleagues from other countries, learn from their examples, and share our own insights on which policies work best in different contexts. Exchanges like these are essential for strengthening local democracy across Europe,” said Kenan Dautović, Mayor of Travnik.

The Summit’s focus on safeguarding civic space, promoting transparency and accountability, and digital rights mirrors the Council of Europe Secretary General’s report calling for a New Democratic Pact for Europe. By showcasing citizens’ assemblies and national-local collaboration, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s local authorities embody the report’s vision of renewing democracy from the grassroots up and rebuilding trust between citizens and institutions in the digital age.

The visit was facilitated 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.