As a young person, I think it is very important that our voices are listened to in our country\u2019s political and decision-making structures. Only through dialogue and active participation can we achieve real changes, towards a more just and equitable world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Jose \u00c1ngel Majul \u2013 C\u00f3rdoba\u00a0region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
WHY DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY?<\/strong><\/h3>\nDeliberative democracy is an innovative process designed to amplify the voices of a country\u2019s people, through dialogue and learning. It aims to complement representative and participatory democracy by enriching these processes with new avenues for different contributions and perspectives.<\/p>\n
In Colombia, as in many countries, there is an urgent need to amplify the voices of young people. While the country has made recent progress regarding the political representation and participation of young people, there is still some way to go before the youth feel truly heard.<\/p>\n
According to a 2021 survey, less than 20% of young people believe that politicians take their ideas into account. What\u2019s more, roughly 90% of young people have a low level of confidence in their political institutions. Deliberative democracy offers a new way for young people to speak up, so that their voices are included in public decision-making.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why NIMD organized this deliberative democracy project, known as Mini Public<\/em>, as part of the Quorum: Mujeres y j\u00f3venes innovando la democracia <\/em><\/a>(Quorum: Women and Young people innovating democracy) Project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency<\/a> (Sida).<\/p>\nBUT WHAT IS A MINI PUBLIC?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe Mini Publics project involved several steps. First, the participants were selected through a draw. This process that also ensured gender balance and representation from different regions, ethnic groups, sexual orientations and political affiliations.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"http:\/\/nimd.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mini-public.png\")
<\/p>\n
New skills and knowledge<\/strong><\/h4>\nNext, was the learning phase. The participants gathered in virtual classrooms led by thematic experts. They explored ways to enhance youth political participation in Colombia, covering topics such as gender, informal participation, peacebuilding and political reform. This phase aimed to prepare the participants for the upcoming dialogue by introducing them to deliberative democracy and providing them with new knowledge and ideas to complement their experiences.<\/p>\n
I entered as a young dreamer with a few tools, and emerged as a young person with concrete proposals and greater capacities to lobby and build a more just and equitable country for everyone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ruben Obando – Manizales region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
Constructive dialogue<\/strong><\/h4>\nNIMD then held a large-scale nation-wide dialogue, where the participants exchanged experiences, identified challenges, and developed joint solutions.<\/p>\n
To address diverse challenges across Colombia, a whole series of inter-connected dialogues was held, across Colombia\u2019s different regions. This culminated in a national dialogue, bringing together over 100 outstanding contributors from previous phases.<\/p>\n
It was a moment that restored my motivation and hope. It helped me believe again in democratic and participatory processes [\u2026]. And, it was an opportunity to deliberate and share ideas that promote renewal for our country. Dialogue will always be a tool that drives innovation, inclusion, and renewal to construct the social fabric. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nJames Rodr\u00edguez- Cauca region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
The participants engaged in a constructive conversation based on mutual respect, active listening and consensus building. By focusing on what they had in common, they formulated 27 concrete proposals for change. They combined these into a joint declaration urging policymakers to ensure young people can take up their rightful role in politics.<\/p>\n![\"Participants](\"http:\/\/nimd.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MiniPublic-Youth-Assembly-16-and-17-of-march-2023-2-1-e1719753583945.jpg\")
Participants engage in the dialogue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA CALL FOR INCLUSIVENESS<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the declaration, the participants jointly demanded greater political representation and participation opportunities for young people, essential for strengthening democracy.<\/p>\n
As such, they called for new strategies to prevent the structural exclusion of young people, and other underrepresented groups, to increase inclusiveness in Colombia. For example, they proposed strategies to tackle stereotypes and gender-based violence that hinder the political engagement of women and members of the LGBTQI+ community.<\/p>\n
They also put forward a series of political reforms, including revisions to electoral financing and a youth quota.<\/p>\n
BUT WHAT IS A MINI PUBLIC?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe Mini Publics project involved several steps. First, the participants were selected through a draw. This process that also ensured gender balance and representation from different regions, ethnic groups, sexual orientations and political affiliations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
New skills and knowledge<\/strong><\/h4>\nNext, was the learning phase. The participants gathered in virtual classrooms led by thematic experts. They explored ways to enhance youth political participation in Colombia, covering topics such as gender, informal participation, peacebuilding and political reform. This phase aimed to prepare the participants for the upcoming dialogue by introducing them to deliberative democracy and providing them with new knowledge and ideas to complement their experiences.<\/p>\n
I entered as a young dreamer with a few tools, and emerged as a young person with concrete proposals and greater capacities to lobby and build a more just and equitable country for everyone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ruben Obando – Manizales region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
Constructive dialogue<\/strong><\/h4>\nNIMD then held a large-scale nation-wide dialogue, where the participants exchanged experiences, identified challenges, and developed joint solutions.<\/p>\n
To address diverse challenges across Colombia, a whole series of inter-connected dialogues was held, across Colombia\u2019s different regions. This culminated in a national dialogue, bringing together over 100 outstanding contributors from previous phases.<\/p>\n
It was a moment that restored my motivation and hope. It helped me believe again in democratic and participatory processes [\u2026]. And, it was an opportunity to deliberate and share ideas that promote renewal for our country. Dialogue will always be a tool that drives innovation, inclusion, and renewal to construct the social fabric. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nJames Rodr\u00edguez- Cauca region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
The participants engaged in a constructive conversation based on mutual respect, active listening and consensus building. By focusing on what they had in common, they formulated 27 concrete proposals for change. They combined these into a joint declaration urging policymakers to ensure young people can take up their rightful role in politics.<\/p>\nParticipants engage in the dialogue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA CALL FOR INCLUSIVENESS<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the declaration, the participants jointly demanded greater political representation and participation opportunities for young people, essential for strengthening democracy.<\/p>\n
As such, they called for new strategies to prevent the structural exclusion of young people, and other underrepresented groups, to increase inclusiveness in Colombia. For example, they proposed strategies to tackle stereotypes and gender-based violence that hinder the political engagement of women and members of the LGBTQI+ community.<\/p>\n
They also put forward a series of political reforms, including revisions to electoral financing and a youth quota.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nNext, was the learning phase. The participants gathered in virtual classrooms led by thematic experts. They explored ways to enhance youth political participation in Colombia, covering topics such as gender, informal participation, peacebuilding and political reform. This phase aimed to prepare the participants for the upcoming dialogue by introducing them to deliberative democracy and providing them with new knowledge and ideas to complement their experiences.<\/p>\n
I entered as a young dreamer with a few tools, and emerged as a young person with concrete proposals and greater capacities to lobby and build a more just and equitable country for everyone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ruben Obando – Manizales region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
Constructive dialogue<\/strong><\/h4>\n
NIMD then held a large-scale nation-wide dialogue, where the participants exchanged experiences, identified challenges, and developed joint solutions.<\/p>\n
To address diverse challenges across Colombia, a whole series of inter-connected dialogues was held, across Colombia\u2019s different regions. This culminated in a national dialogue, bringing together over 100 outstanding contributors from previous phases.<\/p>\n
It was a moment that restored my motivation and hope. It helped me believe again in democratic and participatory processes [\u2026]. And, it was an opportunity to deliberate and share ideas that promote renewal for our country. Dialogue will always be a tool that drives innovation, inclusion, and renewal to construct the social fabric. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
James Rodr\u00edguez- Cauca region, participant in the Colombia Mini Publics.<\/p>\n
The participants engaged in a constructive conversation based on mutual respect, active listening and consensus building. By focusing on what they had in common, they formulated 27 concrete proposals for change. They combined these into a joint declaration urging policymakers to ensure young people can take up their rightful role in politics.<\/p>\n
Participants engage in the dialogue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A CALL FOR INCLUSIVENESS<\/strong><\/h3>\n
In the declaration, the participants jointly demanded greater political representation and participation opportunities for young people, essential for strengthening democracy.<\/p>\n
As such, they called for new strategies to prevent the structural exclusion of young people, and other underrepresented groups, to increase inclusiveness in Colombia. For example, they proposed strategies to tackle stereotypes and gender-based violence that hinder the political engagement of women and members of the LGBTQI+ community.<\/p>\n
They also put forward a series of political reforms, including revisions to electoral financing and a youth quota.<\/p>\n