Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Elected constituents meet to know the results of the citizen participation platform

The meeting, which lasted about two hours online, was hosted by both rectors who shared the conclusions of the We Have to Talk about Chile project, where thousands of people participated during 2020.

“A true platform for dialogue has been developed in our country. We started planning this project in October 2019 when it became very clear that we had to listen to what the population wanted to tell us, what Chile wanted to say about their pain, dreams and yearnings ”. With those words, the rector of the UC , Ignacio Sánchez, together with his counterpart from the University of Chile , Ennio Vivaldi, began the virtual meeting with the constituents, an instance attended by 101 of the 155 elected.

The objective of the meeting was to share the results and learnings of the citizen conversations promoted by the platform We Have to Talk about Chile during 2020, in which more than 8 thousand inhabitants of the 346 communes of the country participated to talk, by video call and without knowing each other. yes, about what to change, maintain and improve in Chile. These 8 thousand are added to the more than 95,000 who participated through digital consultations, adding more than 100,000 participants during 2020 in a historic and pioneering exercise of citizen participation.

“A true platform for dialogue has been developed in our country. We started planning this project in October 2019 when it became very clear that we had to listen to what the population wanted to tell us, what Chile wanted to say about their pain, dreams and yearnings ”- Ignacio Sánchez, UC rector

In his speech, Vivaldi highlighted that the Constitutional Convention is an opportunity to incorporate the voices of the citizens and pointed out that “what we are doing today, to present the work of We Have to Talk about Chile, is an example of the many activities that Chilean universities have done, they have continued to do and that we are going to share with you. We are in the most absolute availability to learn from you and give our contribution and support to the process “.

The project had the support of 27 other universities in the country and more than 50 civil society organizations, who made a special effort to reach people who do not usually participate in this type of process, such as inhabitants of rural and extreme areas, persons deprived of liberty and migrants, among others.

“It is an example of the many activities that Chilean universities have done, have continued to do and that we are going to share with you. We are in the most absolute availability to learn from you and give our contribution and support to the process” – Ennio Vivaldi, rector of the University of Chile

After sharing the results, the rectors and the team of We Have to Talk about Chile wanted to hear from the constituents about their own experience in terms of citizen participation and how to motivate more instances of dialogue throughout this year, as well as respond questions about the results presented and the process carried out by both universities.

Valentina Rosas, deputy director of the project, said that this meeting “allows us to fulfill what we promised to so many people who, from all corners of the country, trusted in this space for citizen participation. The exercise of dialogue in itself is a fundamental part, but the result of these dialogues, like those of many other instances and projects carried out or to be carried out, seek this, feed the public conversation and be part of the constituent dialogue ”.

This meeting is complemented by other activities that the platform has organized to publicize the findings with the authorities. Previously, the report was delivered to different leading figures – such as the president of the Senate, the national prosecutor, different National Awards, union leaders, and the Government – with the aim of offering it as an input to contribute to a better design of public policies, taking as base the wishes and concerns of the citizenship in the midst of the constituent process that is already underway.

“The exercise of dialogue in itself is a fundamental part, but the result of these dialogues, like those of so many other instances and projects carried out or to be carried out, seek this, feed the public conversation and be part of the constituent dialogue” – Valentina Rosas , deputy director of the project