At a time of increasing democratic challenges, polarization, and declining public trust in institutions, strengthening the capacities of organizations that operate at the intersection of local authorities, citizens, and civil society becomes crucial for safeguarding and advancing democratic processes. Local democracy today requires more than formal participation; it calls for thoughtful, inclusive, and structured models in which citizens have a real role in shaping public policy. It is in this context that the Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Mostar strategically reinforces its role as a resource centre and driver of innovative approaches to democratic governance.
A significant step in this direction is the strategic strengthening of organizational capacities at LDA Mostar through long-term training in the field of deliberative democracy. The Training for Trainers organized by the Council of Europe under the regional project “Promoting Deliberative Democracy and Innovative Approaches to Citizen Participation in South-East Europe” enabled LDA Mostar to enhance its knowledge and operational capabilities for implementing citizens’ assemblies, one of the most developed and relevant tools of deliberative democracy in contemporary European practices.
This achievement gains additional significance given that among the ten certified participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dženana Dedić, director of LDA Mostar, was the only representative from the non-governmental sector , confirming recognition of LDA Mostar as a relevant actor with long-standing expertise in good governance, civic participation, and cooperation with local authorities. This training represents not only individual professional development but also a strategic investment in LDA Mostar’s organizational capacities, with long-term implications for the local communities in which it operates.
Deliberative democracy — and particularly models like citizens’ assemblies — is designed to complement representative democracy through structured processes of dialogue, learning, and joint reflection. These processes enable the inclusion of diverse voices, reduce polarization, and build trust between citizens and institutions. These values were also at the centre of the international conference “Resilient Europe through deliberative democracy: Cities and regions in action!”, held on 26 November 2025 in Strasbourg, to which the certified trainers were invited upon completion of their training.
The conference was organized by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe as a contribution to the New Democratic Pact for Europe, and brought together over 130 representatives of local, regional, and national authorities, academia, and civil society from 22 member states. On behalf of the City of Mostar, the conference was also attended by Đani Rahimić, President of the Mostar City Council, further reaffirming the link between strengthening institutional capacities and local democratic practices.
Discussions in Strasbourg clearly highlighted the need to build so-called “civic infrastructure” for deliberation, which includes the development of skills, accessibility of knowledge, systemic support for deliberative processes, and the creation of platforms for mutual learning. This is precisely where LDA Mostar acts as a mediator, educator, and support to local communities and authorities in designing and implementing meaningful, inclusive, and effective participatory processes.
This advancement comes at a moment when LDA Mostar is entering a new strategic phase. At the beginning of 2026, the organization will begin implementing a new Strategy for the period 2026–2028, whose vision is the establishment of a recognizable and sustainable HUB of Local Democracy. This HUB will be a space of knowledge, cooperation, and innovation that will actively support communities in developing new initiatives, strengthening democratic practices, and connecting diverse actors, from citizens and civil society organizations to local authorities and international partners. As an open and inclusive platform for joint action, the HUB of Local Democracy responds to the challenges of contemporary society and, at a time of threatened democracy, contributes to creating practical and sustainable solutions for its strengthening and adaptation to the modern needs of communities.
Certification in deliberative democracy and implementation of citizens’ assemblies represents one of the foundational elements of this future HUB. It allows LDA Mostar to act not only as an advocate of good governance principles but also as an operational resource with concrete knowledge and tools for their application in practice. This further solidifies the organization’s role as a trusted partner to local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond, at a time when democratic resilience is becoming a shared responsibility of all actors in society.
