In 2001, Walloon Brabant underwent an unprecedented experience for Belgium: Which Walloon Brabant for tomorrow?, the first citizens' panel in Belgium!
Which societal challenge?
The issue was: “Regional spatial planning, Mobility, Sustainable Development… Which future for our Walloon Brabant province?”
Initiative
The Minister in charge of spatial planning and the Minister in charge of mobility were commissioning the citizens' panel, initiated and organised by the Foundation for Future Generations.
Process
62 citizens were drawned by lot, met a broad number of resource persons and deliberated together.
They handed in their citizens’ report publicly to the Walloon Government. The citizens' report provided the government with a deep insight into the collective values and the ranking of these values according to informed citizens.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 02.02.2001 | Launch & press conference by the ministers |
| 12-23.02.2001 | Recruitment of panelists |
| 07.03.2001 | Opening evening in plenary, only the first part being public |
| 09-11.03.2001 | 3 days of hearings with resource persons: Centre (Wavre), 19 panellists |
| 16-18.03.2001 | 3 days of hearings with resource persons: East (Jodoigne), 22 panelists |
| 23-25.03.2001 | 3 days of hearings with resource persons: West (Nivelles), 21 panelists |
| 21.02.2001 | Plenary day: openings and synthesis |
| 02.05.2001 | Evening: 11 delegates at the drafting table (Governor's residence) |
| 18.05.2001 | Evening of amendments and approval of the citizens report in plenary (Governor's residence) |
| 19.05.2001 | Public reading of the citizens report to ministers by 5 panellists in the presence of the panel, in Namur |
| 07.12.2001 | Follow up and evaluation evening |
| 11.12.2002 | Press conference, presenting the video and the vade-mecum publication |
Results & more info
More information on this initiative:
- Final citizens report (French only) (19.05.2001)
- Vidéo "Panel de Citoyens" (French only, DVD or VHS, currently out of stock) (11.12.2002)
- Publication detailing the process:
Le panel de citoyens : Quel Brabant wallon pour demain ? Vade-mecum d’une expérience de participation citoyenne (French only) (11.12.2002) - Text of the press conference presenting the video and the vade-mecum publication (French only) (11.12.2002)
More information on deliberative democracy and citizens' panels: their objectives, methodology and links to other citizens' panels initiated or contributed to by the Foundation for Future Generations.