Good News August 15, 2018: Ideas and Actions Transforming Democracy

Innovation of the Month: Democracy in Practice

Two schools in Bolivia are experimenting with a new form of democracy by using lotteries rather than elections, providing any student interested in serving on the student government an equal opportunity to participate.  The guiding organization, Democracy in Practice, asserts that elections give our children the wrong idea of civic education.  Their mission is to develop a larger body of leaders and provide a rich, more equitable experience through teamwork.

Any student can opt-in to a lottery that will select a panel of students to run the student government for a period of time.  Each student government panel will operate long enough to introduce young people to democracy and decision making.  And then a new panel will be selected, given more students an opportunity to have the experience throughout the school year. 

If this piques your interest, you may want to read this article.

Good News All Around

• Greek Island of Tilos is the first Mediterranean island to power itself entirely with renewable energy. The Optimist Daily

• The share of people who return to state prison three years after being released dropped by nearly a quarter over a recent seven-year period, according to PEW

• Cell biologists at the University of Exeter have used a "molecular postcode" to deliver chemicals directly to mitochondria in cells, reversing the ageing process. ScienceAlert

• Manju will be a panelist for the opening plenary panel at the 2018 Global Forum on Direct Democracy in Rome, Italy, September 26-29.