Introduction to Civic Engagement

Citizen participation in civic decision-making is essential in democratic cities. Involving citizens in municipal decision-making allows for conveying information and helps to ensure meaningful participation of citizens in the decisions that affect them. Community intelligence and knowledge can be harnessed when citizens are empowered to participate and contribute to smart city development. Finally, involving citizens ensures that the policies being created by municipalities are in touch with issues that are important to residents.

In a smart city, civic engagement includes both public outreach, where the city takes the initiative to reach out to members of the public, and civic empowerment, where the city places members of the public in a position to take action in municipal issues that are important to them.

Civic engagement is a responsibility that stretches across the municipality, engaging core democratic functions at the heart of governance but also implicating grassroots-level decision making where people actually use municipal services.

To explore smart city solutions and technologies, click any of the links on the sidebar to the left.