''Meeting of Minds'' Demonstrates Pan-European Citizen Deliberation Process; Global Voices and IFOK Use Advanced Technology to Facilitate Brussels Meeting.BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Citizens from nine European countries will assemble in Brussels this week for a three-day meeting that will be anything but ordinary. The 126 citizens selected to attend the June 3-6 Meeting of Minds: Europeans Citizens' Deliberation on Brain Science will not only discuss the implications of advances in brain research to treat neurological disorders This is a list of major and frequently observed neurological disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease), symptoms (e.g.back pain), signs (e.g. aphasia) and syndromes (e.g. Aicardi syndrome). and improve mind functioning but will also participate in a novel citizen deliberation process being conducted on a pan-European basis. The King Baudouin Foundation The King Baudouin Foundation (KBF) is a public benefit foundation in Brussels, Belgium, established in 1976. Named after Baudouin of Belgium, Belgium's late head of state, its mission is to contribute to improving the living conditions of the population. , the project coordinator, has selected two expert facilitation organizations, Global Voices and IFOK, to manage the complex deliberation process. Global Voices is a nonprofit that has developed 21st Century Town Meetings for citizen engagement events held worldwide. IFOK is a German company that helps organizations with communications and decision-making. Technology will be critical to the success of the Meeting of Minds. Translation services will support eight languages. Facilitators will use laptop computers to record feedback on the discussions. Participants will vote on topics using wireless touchpad A stationary pointing device that provides a small, flat surface that you slide your finger over using the same movements as you would a mouse. You can tap on the pad's surface as an alternate to pressing one of the touchpad keys. See mouse, trackball and pointing stick. devices and then see the results on large video projection screens. "Brain science has important medical, ethical, social and legal implications for European citizens to discuss," said Gerrit Rauws, director of the King Baudouin Foundation. "Brain diseases are forecast to become a large and growing burden for aging Europeans with predictions that by 2030 about 50 percent of the population will have a brain disease." The European citizens' panel is drawn from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungry, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Each of the participants previously attended meetings held on brain science in their respective countries. At the June meeting, the European citizens' panel will create a common framework and a common set of questions that need to be examined further. A second meeting is planned for the European Citizens' panel in January 2006 to produce a European assessment report on brain research issues. "This is a groundbreaking citizen deliberation project that serves as a valuable model of how to bring people together from multiple countries to discuss an important issue from an individual, country and region-wide context," said Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer, president and founder of Global Voices. "The 'Meeting of Minds'-Project will turn out to be a milestone in deliberative de·lib·er·a·tive adj. 1. Assembled or organized for deliberation or debate: a deliberative legislature. 2. Characterized by or for use in deliberation or debate. processes in providing the chance for citizens to give input on an important topic like brain-sciences cross-nationally," adds Hans-Peter Meister, founder and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of IFOK GmbH. About King Baudouin Foundation (Belgium) This public benefit foundation, which is independent of government support and influence, takes a pluralistic approach to its work on improving living conditions living conditions npl → condiciones fpl de vida living conditions npl → conditions fpl de vie living conditions living for the population at large. A European foundation
KBF Knott's Berry Farm KBF Katholischen Bibelföderation KBF Kobe Bible Fellowship (Japan) KBF Key Buying Factors KBF Klim en Bergsport Federatie is active at local, regional, federal, European and international levels. The KBF is funding and coordinating the Meeting of Minds project. More information: http://www.kbs-frb.be About Global Voices Global Voices seeks to engage citizens more directly in the public decisions that impact their lives. Global Voices has conducted its 21st Century Town Meetings(R) to support public deliberations on such issues as policy development, budgeting, planning, and multinational collaboration. Global Voices is wholly-owned by AmericaSpeaks, a nonprofit recognized for its expertise in citizen engagement. For more information, please visit: http://www.globalvoices.org About IFOK GmbH The Institute for Oganizational Communication, IFOK GmbH, is an independent consultancy and think tank, founded in 1995. IFOK's vision is to improve deliberative processes to help solve today's most important societal problems. IFOK's mission is to help its clients with societal change and create societal impact to reach their goals. As one of Europe's recognized leaders in the areas of deliberation, cross-sector partnerships and societal problem solving problem solving Process involved in finding a solution to a problem. Many animals routinely solve problems of locomotion, food finding, and shelter through trial and error. , IFOK's core competence Core competence Primary area of expertise. Narrowly defined fields or tasks at which a company or business excels. Primary areas of specialty. is the network and process management of complex dialogue and co-operation processes with diverse stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. . |
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