“Best practice” citizen deliberation models (including citizen assemblies) use a lottery selection method to invite people to analyze and discuss complicated and often controversial public problems. The randomly selected everyday people then recommend a course of action which is well informed. Assemblies and deliberations regularly show that 70% of participants agree on solutions. We are not so divided — we just need respectful and problem-solving ways to engage with each other.

This esteemed panel will discuss:

• Citizen assemblies convened in the US (which are not yet a recurring civic practice sponsored by government)
• Citizen assemblies in Ireland, France, and Belgium (which convene in regular, ongoing ways with government sponsorship)
• Deliberation efforts which differ from citizen assemblies
• Technology tools including AI, which enable deliberation