Education for Participation

In international documents and declarations by Heads of State and Government on sustainable development, as well as among people who carry out field work in close contact with ecosystems and communities, a consensus exists concerning the process of public participation in decision making: broad democratic participation is a requirement on which true sustainability depends.

We understand participation not only as “having a share of something or in something”, according to the dictionary’s conventional definition, but also as “being part of something.” Within the scope of environmental management, therefore, we mean the ability of social actors in a given process to identify and fully acquaint themselves with the process proper, and to experience feelings of belonging, meaning and common purpose. In simple terms, meaningful participation is the ability to assume leadership in a given process of participation.

The effectiveness of participation is determined by the opportunity to influence decision-making processes. All social actors should have access to these opportunities, when decisions affecting them are taken. At the same time, efficient participation requires that those exercising it have access to all relevant information in a timely manner. The right to participation, therefore, is closely linked to the right to information and, thus, to the right to education.

Challenge for the Future