"Renew the UK Open Government Network" - Call for EU Horizon consortium

UK Open Government Network Democracy
22

Hi Simon

In the same spirit of challenge you pose in your contributions I have two questions for you:

  1. What is your end game? We all know OGP has room for improvement but your suggestions lead me to think you have some kind of technical solution you think you can sell in to the network. A network that scrabbles for funds, so that is a non starter btw.
  2. where are you based? You seem intent on playing Scotland against the U.K. This is a polarity that OGP explicitly rejects and isn’t particularly helpful to our end goals. If you are so invested in Scotland I’d be happy to meet and discuss how we can collaboratively develop the discussion.

OGP is basically a network where we share in the spirit of empathy and humility. I look forward to you contributing in that spirit.

23

Hi Juliet,

Excuse the silence. I’ve been catching up with commitments made, and not completed, by OGP members over the past decade.

  1. End game? Primarily, its to encourage the cross-pollination of discussions between two “public” groups. One I term policy makers (hundreds of .Gov, and CSO, domains and projects. You know them better than I). The other I call PUBLIC network architects and managers. That includes those that support National and Local government (.gov) infrastructure of course. But more important are those nationally-funded bodies which support R&E (.edu) institutions . Their progressives take a very different approach to inter- networking compared to the status quo of their government silos. Here’s the most complete list.

The reasons? You already know that the same technologies which offer open government can, reciprocally, create a surveillance state, and have. Writing a stern letter to a government isn’t going to stop this, if its even noticed by their civil societies.

Here’s the best short version describing this situation. And here’s Jose’s long version, comparing the US vs Chinese systems.

And yes, this focus leads into how PUBLIC networks may be constructed in order to control the manipulation of the media passing though them. So you might understand that your suspicions about me flogging a technical solution are well off the mark, although I’ve counted billions of Euros spent by the EU over the years in getting closer to a solution here, mainly in the Open Research and Education and Science space.
You’ll understand why Janos’s started posts on this thread rang a big bell for me.

  1. As to where I’m based. Two passports. Mainly the north-east coast of Australia, although I prefer south-east Asia for the weather and Europe for the cultures.

I’m trying to understand how you might think I’m trying to play one country’s OGP secretariat off against another’s. I’ve been clear, by comparing the UK central gov’s approach and one of its “devolved administrations” with the Aussie Federal (Central) government’ and its 7 States and territories.

Tails are wagging their dogs everywhere. Its just that the Scots are just doing it (producing media and opening the process) better than most.

So when I read Matt@gov.uk write …"Rather than do a rushed job alongside NAP6 publication, we decided to spend more time to ensure we can provide a much more useful resource. Work to complete this update is currently underway.… I’m thinking terrific, They are going to use the opportunity to compare between the process and “collections” of various secretariats, and consider a shared infrastructure and protocols.

At the same time scots gov are hoping to create a framework agreement which enables its various departmental (thematic) groups to outsource their interactions with the same citizens. And that leads into discussions - one with a long-term focus, one with a short-term focus - that I’m attempting to encourage between the two groups. I’ll attempt to start that by my next mail to Neisha.

And please, don’t think because I write so “definitely” that I’m trying to intimidate anyone. I write like a lion and speak like a mouse, but I’m always civil. So please come back, After all that time on the OGP steering committee, the next generation (and me) needs a mentor with your experiences to lead by example.

24

Simon I have offered this before but i will do so again - can we please have a conversation, so we properly understand what each other is trying to do. The purpose of OGP is to ensure civil society and governments work together on issues that will improve governance overall - in a positive and productive way. Juliet for civil society and myself (and with our small OG teams) are trying very hard in Scotland to work on the priorities identified and we are always happy to share learning, but I am not sure your reading some guidance aligns with ours and I am not clear if you have had the opportunity for that close partnership working. Happy to set up a call for you, Juliet and myself, rather than responding to long emails that feel to us as if they slightly miss the point

1 Like
25

Hi Doreen, Juliet, Kevin, Matt,

OK. We must have that catch up sometime soon. I’d really like to invite Deanne Allan (in Oz) as well. This is her space. I’ll point her at this entry.

We have a little sticking point/talking at cross purposes = Janos (and I) are addressing things from the top/global perspective down, while you’re coming from the UK end up.

I’m just an old media guy, so I’m simply pointing out how my orientation, as a non-participating observer, works. So, if we are aiming to “share the learning” its so simple. Matt. Check this page out.

That’s what any observer needs as a starting point. Everything now revolves around GROUPS, not Institutions or Collections The two things missing on that page is,firstly, some mention of this social space, where Neisha has to attempt to do a little traffic control between the UK locals, which isn’t/shouldn’t be that hard, and those with an international perspective, like Janos, which is impossible at the moment.

The other important need is to clarify/associate any one group with their “Related Groups”. ie. Digital Identity Scotland Expert Group - gov.scot

Janos. This is happening in the UK space at mysociety, where they are starting to get some COP’s together. I’ll ask them to come over to this thread so we can work through why we need to use thematic groups as our terminology rather than Communities of Practice. i.e. We’re spreading the perspectives of ze olde worlde professions, especially those of the old media farts (like moi).

Wish I’d been born a Scot or Dutchman. :thinking:

1 Like
26

Please read the the following related post:

27

To the Esteemed Members and Officials,

I am reaching out as the Co-Chair of the Afghanistan Open Government Partnership (OGP), in response to the invitation for consortium membership aimed at revitalizing the UK Open Government Network, as part of the EU Horizon tender.

The Humanner project’s vision, with its focus on citizen research and a comprehensive analysis of best practices for civil system integration, aligns perfectly with our mission at OGP. We acknowledge the imperative need for a unified ecosystem in digital democracy, where tools and platforms are not merely interconnected but also adhere to the tenets of open governance.

In Afghanistan, we have been steadfast in our commitment to bolster transparency, accountability, and public engagement in governance during the Republic’s tenure. However, the unforeseen changes in Kabul have significantly altered the landscape. Despite these challenges, our dedication to the principles outlined in the EU Horizon tender remains unwavering, and we are confident that our unique experiences can offer invaluable perspectives to the consortium.

As the co-chair and a representative of civil society within the Afghanistan OGP, we are keen to investigate potential collaborations with the Open Government Civil Society Network and other consortium affiliates. This initiative presents a vital chance to disseminate our insights, overcome obstacles, and celebrate our collective achievements, while also absorbing the diverse experiences of our peers.

We kindly request guidance on the procedural steps to formally express our interest in joining the consortium and contributing to the “Renew the UK Open Government Network” initiative.

We appreciate your consideration of our partnership and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to contribute to a more transparent and democratic global community.

Warm regards,

Abdul Wadood Afghan
Co-Chair, Afghanistan Open Government Partnership(OGP)

1 Like