Last week we participated in the workshop on Digital Networks and Local Participation: An e-revolution in our cities or 2.0fever? which was organized by the Autonomous University of Barcelona as part of its Master in Participation and Local Policies.

Our presentation was titled “Challenges for the application of ICT for participation at the local level” and reflected on the reasons why electronic participation is not really working in Spanish municipalities. Aiming to clarify key concepts on electronic participation, our presentation brought together elves and goblins, Lóriens and Morias, Avatars, Terminators… and even Alices and queens, behind the mirrors!

You can view the video of the presentation below (it starts in minute 5) and you can also download the slides from our SlideShare’s page:

Prof. Josep Espluga, the organizer of the event, commented: “You have provided us with a collection of powerful metaphors that we will take advantage of”. However, it is a pity that, as frequently happens in this kind of public appearances, the result was not entirely satisfactory: lack of time, stage fright and even dryness in the mouth 🙂 caused that some of the ideas we intended to explain were just roughly sketched or even not mentioned at all!

But every cloud has a silver lining! In the coming months we will try to develop in this blog the ‘juiciest’ of these ideas, perhaps even applying them to our pilot-project in Alcalá.

So… stay tuned!