Background

Since the first eCampaigning Forum in 2002, there has always been a need for a more public event involving both the eCampaigning Forum participants and the wider community of those interested in campaigning related issues. This year, we'll attempt to organise such an event in consultation with eCampaigning Forum participants and eCampaigning practitioners.

The eCampaigning Forum attracts a high calibre of experienced practitioners who are involved in shaping nations and the world though engaging and mobilising the public and influencing decision makers. Furthermore there is a large and growing group of people (including journalists and researchers) who are interested in the topics raised at the eCampaigning Forum, but for various reasons can't attend. The coming together of such a high caliber of people for the eCampaigning Forum on such a topic of wide interest produces an opportunity gibber than just the eCampaigning Forum itself.

The Idea

The idea for a public day is simple: Identify a topic that some eCampaigning Forum participants can share their expertise on and invite other stakeholders to participate in an event with raises and explores bigger issues related to campaigning, participation, etc.

To do this, the next steps are:

• Agreeing the core focus and eCampaigning Forum participants with eCampaigning Forum participants
• Identifying others who may want to collaborate on this event (speakers, sponsors, organisations, journalists)
• Finding a location suitable for the proposed event site: envisioned to be 100-150 people
• Finalising the agenda and launching the event

Proposed Theme and Focus

1. Theme: The public day 'theme' (the topic that stays consistent every year) is participation since it is highly relevant to campaigning and is always topical. Each year the public day would look at a different angle of participation as relevant to what is happening and what is emerging.
2. Focus: For the 2007 public day focus is Who's Leading Who?.

Proposed Orientation

Over the last few years, commentators have referred to the growth of participation as the 'fifth estate', the second superpower and Time Magazine recently made 'You' the 'person of the year'. So participation has been on the rise for while.

Advocacy organisations are often accused by politicians and media of 'orchestrating' campaigns but not really engaging people or representing / supporting genuine movements. The connected citizen is starting to challenge that situation by being able to launch million person petitions online that influence policy.

The Internet and mobile phones are part of the story of participation, but they are merely enabling people to realise a desire to participate. The real story is how people are connecting and organising around shared concerns.

But it is still in its infancy as suggest by findings that Participation on Web 2.0 sites remains weak (18 Apr 2007, MSNBC).

So how are campaigning organisations, politicians, media and citizens being affected and what is still to come? Who is leading who now and who will lead who in the future?

This event will explore what is happening in terms of participation, where it is going and how campaigning organisations can embrace it.