Only three months ago we launched our global partnership programme. Today, we have 6 local partners who support us in shaping local democracies for the digital era. 

And we’re extremely proud of that! That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to our new partner, Artur, who will be contributing to building digital democracies in Poland.

But first… Why a partnership programme?

We believe every community can benefit from digital citizen participation, regardless of size or location. Via our platform, we hope to contribute to public decision-making around the world by making it more effective, transparent, and collaborative. This is an objective we can’t achieve alone.

That’s why we’re eager to work with local experts who are passionate to make a change in their community or country! We realize that on the ground implementation of digital democracy requires practical know-how and a deep understanding of the local context. Our local partners are value-added-resellers who are looking to extend their business by consulting, selling and implementing our participation platform for clients in the public sector.

Meet Artur Kacprzak, our partner in Poland

Connect with Artur on LinkedIn
or get in touch via email.

What did you do before you joined the CitizenLab team?

Artur: “Before joining CitizenLab, I spent most of my time on development cooperation and programming. Together with friends, I created Eastbook.eu, a project which aims to spread democratic values by moderating dialogue between EU member states and Eastern Partnership countries. I have also been a part of the Democratic Society East, where I organized security training in Ukraine to journalists in war conditions as well as training to evaluate public policies. In recent years, I mainly worked as an independent IT Project Manager & Developer for different projects.”

Why did you decide to partner up with CitizenLab?

Artur: “Following the continuing conflict in Ukraine, I understand that democracy is not only a standard of living but also a matter of security. There were no armed conflicts between consolidated democracies in modern history, and I believe that when people’s voice is respected with a deeply rooted culture of participation, freedom of speech, fair and free elections, societies choose representatives who seek compromise.

CitizenLab managed to harness technology into a democratic process and reveals opportunities I didn’t know existed. The participation platform provides chances for debate and more citizen input in decision-making. In that way, it almost reinvents local democracy as it used to be in ancient Greek poleis.

Owing to my background as a developer and IT project manager, I appreciate the quality standards implemented in the software. The CitizenLab platform truly convinced me with its simplicity and intuitiveness. I am very happy to present to Polish cities the possibilities of the participation platform as I believe it will add great value to Polish democracy. I have never seen such a tool in Poland and I’m convinced that CitizenLab is at the forefront of many more solutions aiming to improve citizen engagement in public affairs.”

What is your ambition for digital citizen participation in Poland?

Artur: “Living in a country that boards two authoritarian states and a country in war strongly influences my viewpoint. It lets me greet CitizenLab’s tool, which strengthens local democracies, with open arms and ensures I’m devoted to the mission – and to make it work. From the first day of our partnership, I thus formulated three aims for digital engagement in Poland:

  • Strengthen and consolidate citizens’ sense of influence to shape public affairs. This can be done by ensuring maximized participation of citizens in the decision-making process at the local level.
  • Enhance democratic culture in Poland its public debate.
  • Reduce the distance between local authorities and citizens to a minimum.

I’m glad to be a part of the passionate CitizenLab team, who have already been working for five years to improve engagement and participation in local democracies. Moreover, I’m excited to join the Polish community of experts and activists working hard on our engagement and participation culture for the last three decades.”