Kick off in San Diego

Mayor Jerry Sanders opened the conference and from first hand experience explained the consequences of what happens when public lose trust in government, and the outcomes of rebuilding that trust. He gave a wonderful overview of what happens when decisions aren't sustainable and told delegates how this is being addressed now, for the future, in San Diego. When public officers and elected officials misuse their trust and position it leads to more than a financial crisis. The path ahead is built on decisions that will stand the test of time and he gave delegates some fine examples of how those relationships at the community level are the very foundations. With the room full of experts in the field of public participation from around the world there were no arguements there!

President of IAP2, Anne Pattillo told delegates that "sustainable decision making for IAP2 is powerful and deceptively simple. It sits at the foundation of our practice. It requires decision making focused on the future and our hopes, aspirations, concerns and goals. An engagement practice that demands on being clear about the decisions to be made and grounded on the values that underpin the best practice and philosophy of the people involved.

" IAP2's contribution to the need to live more sustainably is and has always been ensuring that the social dynamic has people affected by the decision with the most powerful voice in decision making. Decision making that balances technical, financial and environmental factors with the relativity and richness of life and living.

"Now more than ever the decisions required to make the changes required to adapt and build our family, community and national resilience cannot simply be made in senates and at Council tables but must also be made in communities and in families and at kitchen tables."

Anne welcomed delegates and thanked them for accepting the invitation to come to the conference table and then to lead these conversations all over the world as researchers and practitioners.


We will be blogging throughout the conference ... more to come ...