Re: [WDDM] CED (Contemporary Ecclesia of Demos) worked in the island of Rhodes again!

[mantell <antell_m(at)verizon.net>]

Thanks George,
I'll plan to run your report in CitizenPowerMagazine.net, in the REPORTS section.  Look for it by the end of the week.
Mark Antell

George L. Kokkas Law Office wrote:

 Thank you also Mark,  for your moral and practical assistance!

  Let me explain you  a few details , about this  event!
  The whole event was  a mixture of cultural and direct democratic elements, with the objective to give  safe orders of people  to the new local Authorities of Rhodes Island (to be elected next  October) about the priorities of policies that people request. 
  After  a couple of short introductory speeches, we had a small theatrical play, satyrizing the contemporary political life  and then we begun the political event of the Ecclesia, with short speeches of local NGOs spokespersons, limited to  2 minutes maximum, giving the tempo and the sense  of isegoria (Equal time speaking) to the next citizen speakers. 
   These simple citizens argued and debated on the topics of the attached thematic(subject) voting sheet, first on the general entities ( environmental issues, Local Economy-Development, Cultural affairs, Relatiions between Authorities and Citizens, Social welfare, Transportation issues and Working affairs) and then on special issues of each of the entities above (for example on the first entity the proposals to be voted were :a) More Litter boxes , b) Parks in neighborhoods of Rhodes island, c) New Forests after Fires) as the audience was voting on  a climax from  0 (zero-not interested) to 4 (extreme Priority).
  All the citizens participants had also the ability to propose other issues of their interest, than the prescribed and prepared by the local NGOs issues.So, they voted for another general entity (Educational affairs) and a lot of special issues to be faced by the New Local Authorities that will be elected next October.
   Then, after collection of voting sheets, we had the chance to watch an excellent programme of ethnic songs and dances, as our Informatic Team was working on the results of the voting, that were announced by the end of this direct democratic event!
   It was the first time in contemporary Greece that we had  a political event before elections, that faced the real problems of people ,instead of the  faces of the candidates and representatives!
   We are ready to support similal activities everywhere in  the world!

 George L. Kokkas
'Forum for Citizens' Democracy" -Coordinator


----- Aρχικό μήνυμα ----- 
Από: "mantell" <antell_m(at)verizon.net>
Προς: wddm@world-wide-democracy.net; <geoko(at)otenet.gr>
Κοιν.: "Ted Becker" <becketl(at)auburn.edu>
Αποστολή: Κυριακή, 30 Ιουλίου 2006 2:13 πμ
Θέμα: Re: [WDDM] CED (Contemporary Ecclesia of Demos) worked in the island of Rhodes again!

Hi George,

I think this information would fit well in citizenpowermagazine.net. 

What you've already written is pretty exciting.  Could you provide a few 
paragraphs more, perhaps concerning the 
circumstances/institutions/personalities allowing this establishment of DD?

Thanks.

Mark Antell,
editor CitizenPowerMagazine.net

 
WDDM webmaster wrote:

The photos and documents originally attached to this message can be 
viewed at
http://www.world-wide-democracy.net/dd_event_rhodes/


From: "George L. Kokkas Law Office" <geoko(at)otenet.gr>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 13:02:36 +0300

 Dear DD colleagues,

   I am proud to inform you that on July 14th, 2006, day of French 
Revolution for Democracy, we succeeded to make DD happen!!
   I coordinated the  most serious event ever happened about Direct 
Democracy in contemporary Greece. It was a gathering of the people 
(Demos) of the island of Rhodes, as it happened in ancient times in 
the  Ancient amphitheater of the old town , who voted before their 
local  elections not for representatives, but on the major problems of 
the island in eight different entities(environment, traffic problems 
etc.) giving an order to all candidates to face  their  view,  when 
they will be  elected. Our NGO (Forum for Citizens' Democracy) 
organized the whole event with  a big success, under the auspices of 
local  Authorities and NGOs.
    Please give publicity to this important event, as it inspires us 
for authentic  Democracy!

George L.Kokkas