Increase democratic innovation and participation through LAAAB Space (ES0077)

What is the problem/need that is desired to resolve with the commitment? The need to bring institutions closer to the citizenship to fight the distrust that is weakening our democratic system. We need results that debate and improve the model. We need citizen participation to make public policies of social cohesion that strengthen our democracy.

Objectives of the commitment 1.‐ To bring institutions closer to the citizenship, creating symmetrical and transparent relations that restore their trust in democracy. 2.‐ To definitively open the institutions to civil society. Promoting spaces of confluence, where the citizenship, entities and companies cooperate along with the administrations in resolving their common challenges, providing new views and perspectives, taking advantage of the full bandwidth available in the technopolicy to promote experiences of collective intelligence. 3.‐ Explore, investigate and experience new models of public action, particularly regarding participation, mediation, deliberation, co‐creation and co‐design, aimed at inspiring a sustainable, just and pluralised transition to the society of information and knowledge.

Brief description of the commitment Democratic innovation that generates a (physical and virtual) space with new projects and methodologies that extend the citizen participation

How does the commitment contribute to solve the problem or cover the need? We need to have different scenarios to experience democracy at a human scale and in real time: Laboratories for expanding democracy, for deepening and perfecting techniques and methodologies of citizen participation. This is the context in which the Aragón Regional Government, and specifically the Directorate General, are pushing forward the LAAAB: Open Laboratory of Aragón [Regional Government]. A laboratory of democratic innovation for the open and collaborative design of public policies. The Laboratory has its own physical space (located at Plaza del Pilar, 3 Zaragoza) and a virtual space (Aragón Open Government)

Why is the commitment relevant with respect to the values of Open Government? It promotes, strengthens and improves the quality of participation in the public management, allowing the citizenship to participate in making public decisions with the objective of achieving better results and better democratic quality The citizen participation model of LAAAB is a model that prioritises in‐person participation over online, considering that face‐to‐face interactions of the citizenship with the institutions reinforce the generation of trust. However, because it is impossible to reach the entire citizenship with the in‐person model, complementary instruments will be developed to facilitate online participation. It delves deeper into transparency, open data and accountability of Public Administrations through carrying out actions aimed at its improvement and the evaluation of the results of the plans and programmes The LAAAB space will have an exhibition section (both physical and virtual) focused on transparency and accountability through the Government Plan. 181 It contributes to building a system of public integrity, strengthening the ethical values and mechanisms to bolster the integrity of the public institutions and reinforce the trust of the citizenship The existence of a physical space and a space that is close to the citizenship, designed in a multi‐faceted manner and far from the classic administrative aesthetics constitutes a metaphor of Open Government. As a supplement, the virtual space shows all of the documentation and allows for the traceability of the participation processes. It raises awareness among society and civil servants about the values of Open Government, contributing to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda in order to advance towards a just, peaceful and inclusive society The Government Plan itself is configured as a tool that organises its objectives linked to the SDGs.

Additional information  Related information or that further details the commitment and its activities: Strategic Plan of the Directorate General of Open Government and Social Innovation, 2020‐2023.  Links of interest: LAAAB Website Website of the LAAAB blog

Activities of the commitment Start date End date Implementation of laboratory activities. Indicators:  Number of activities carried out by the Open Government Laboratory of Aragón  Number of attendees  Number of members of the Open Government of the Aragón Autonomous Region 01/01/2020 30/06/2023