The Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication at the University of La Laguna recently became the epicenter of the conference "Participation and Governance in Times of Uncertainty," an initiative that arose from the collaboration between the Social Innovation Laboratory of the University of La Laguna (LabINS ULL) and the International University Center for Peace, Mediation and Coexistence Studies (CIPAMECO), with the support of the Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administrations, Justice and Security of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the General Directorate of Transparency and Participation, and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The event aimed to create a space for reflection and dialogue among social actors in order to understand the mechanisms of citizen participation as a fundamental element for effective governance. It also sought to analyze current challenges to participatory democracy, such as inequality, polarization, and disinformation, among others.
The event was opened with the presence of Francisco García, rector of the University of La Laguna; Juana Mª Reyes Melián, deputy minister of Modernization and Quality of Public Services of the Government of the Canary Islands; and Juan Antonio Rodríguez Hernández, Professor at the University of La Laguna contextualized the day, highlighting the relevance of processes based on dialogue, experiences, and methodologies that strengthen concrete channels that promote a participatory culture.
The opening presentation, entitled “Democratic Governance and the Future of Citizen Participation,” was given by Héctor Pose Porto, professor at the University of A Coruña and PhD in Educational Psychology. The expert shared his perspective on democratic governance and the future evolution of citizen participation in a context of constant change.
The day continued with a round table moderated by Elisa J. Pérez Rosales, Researcher at LabINS ULL and professor at the University of La Laguna, in which different challenges for a new model of participatory governance in the Canary Islands and possible solutions were addressed. Belén Gil Lluesma, special administration technician of the Administrative Service for Social Action, Inclusion, Volunteering and Citizen Participation; José Manuel Díaz González, professor at the University of La Laguna; Mikel Albandoz González, social educator and university expert in Governance and Citizen Participation, as well as director of Social Programs in Mojo de Caña; and Arminda Álamo Bolaños, professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
With the aim of maximizing the reflections and ideas that emerged during the day, a collaborative working session was held, presented by Mónica Dios Rodríguez, director of LabINS ULL, both for those who attended in person and for those who were present remotely on-line.
The results of the collaborative work were presented to the public during the plenary session. Spokespeople from the various departments outlined the challenges currently facing participatory governance and proposed possible actions to address them.
For their part, Meraki Flake, A designer from the Canary Islands, she conducted a live graphic facilitation session to visually simplify a summary of the information and ideas discussed during the workshop, thus enhancing comprehension. This demonstrates LabINS ULL's commitment to facilitating and transmitting knowledge through design and art.
The Social Innovation Laboratory of the University of La Laguna is a space for experimentation and applied research where social innovation is worked on to build and advance towards a more just and equal diverse society.
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