Government-initiated local experiments with the Wisdom Council include
- The Office of Future Related Issues in Vorarlberg Austria and its director, Dr. Manfred Hellrigl, have been spearheading experiments with the Wisdom Council Process in cities of Vorarlberg, among citizens of the state of Vorarlberg, and in the Lake Constance region of Europe.
- The community of Mauthausen in Austria was able to turn a nearby World War II concentration camp into a base for teaching civil rights.
Citizen-initiated experiments with the Wisdom Council Process in North America include:
- Rogue Valley Wisdom Council in Ashland OR ... This was the first public experiment with the Wisdom Council. Three citizens convened this Wisdom Council ... just one in 2003 ... but it empowered a “We the People” movement in Ashland OR that eventually reshaped the town charter and town council. See the 22 minute documentary by Joseph McCormick “Democracy in America" as well as Joseph speaking about the effect of this Wisdom Council on Ashland OR.
- Victoria British Columbia ... In Victoria BC a citizen group organized a set of Wisdom Council events that built a spirit of community that continued for a time under the auspices of the city council. See www.WiseDemocracyVictoria.org
- Student-led Wisdom Council for the citizens of Port Townsend WA. A class of high school students convened a three-time Wisdom Council for the town of Port Townsend WA. It was an especially valuable learning experience for the students, sharing their ideas with adults in the community meetings.
- Wisdom Council in a Food Co-op Three Wisdom Councils were held for a Food Co-op to turn conflict into cooperation.
- North Carolina WC experiment near Asheville ... In October 2014 citizens in North Carolina convened a seminar on "Dynamic Facilitation and the Wisdom Council" plus a Wisdom Council experiment. See the newspaper article on the results of the Wisdom Council. They also developed their own web page.
- Wisdom Council experiments in the WA Department of Agriculture ... see edited video interview
- Santa Cruz, California ... A small group in Santa Cruz wanted to affect a highly conflicted issue that was to be decided by County Transportation committee. This group acted quickly to convene one that is still reverberating today.
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