What is PRACTIC? 

Political Resource & Action Center

PRACTIC is a resource and action centre which will provide useful and evidence-based materials and resources, in addition to capacity building and dialogue actions, such as seminars and trainings, cross-party dialogue sessions, and a forum for interaction between policy makers, professional experts and the general public. 

The resources will include policy briefs, books and publications on various topics of relevance, based on empirically grounded research provided by the Polylogos research team and partners. 

In addition, PRACTIC will deliver the following actions: 

1. Capacity Building seminars, which will be provided on request for politicians and politically interested or aspiring members of the public.  The topics and content of these seminars will be tailored based on (1) the topics requested by the beneficiaries; and (2) the number and nature of the group of participants.  The aim of these seminars is to strengthen the capacity of politicians to be democratically oriented innovative leaders of integrity, influence and impact. 
2. Cross-Party Dialogue sessions, which will be held on a regular basis for members and leaders of the various political parties represented in Cluj. These sessions aim at bridging the gap between different political cultures and viewpoints, enhancing understanding and strengthening trust and capacity for collaboration between political parties and actors.  The sessions will be designed in a roundtable format, opening the space for dialogue and exchange on the previously decided-upon topic. 
3. Civic Forums, which take the form of open interactive forums between policy makers, professionals, experts and the general public.  These forums will be organised as morning-, afternoon- and/or evening-events on various topics that are distinctly relevant and currently “hot topics” in the public space. The forums will include a panel discussion and an open Q&A session, inviting the public to take part and let their voices be heard. Following the Q&A session, there will be an open hangout sessions with evening coffee/tea/drinks and snacks. The aim of the Civic Forums is to strengthen the link between sectors and communities, particularly between the general public and their political representatives; break out of the “echo chambers”; enhance understanding and connectedness; and provide an open platform for discussion between groups and perspectives. 

Objectives

1. Enhance the democratic capacity of local and national policy makers by providing useful and practical evidence-based materials and resources, as well as through various capacity-building and knowledge-sharing actions; 
2. Foster understanding and dialogue between political divides, as well as between different and even polarising factions of society, through facilitating dialogue sessions and a platform for interaction; 
3. Strengthen the democratic capacity of citizens, by encouraging critical and constructive thinking and providing a space that builds bridges between the elected and the electorate. 

How?

The resources and actions will be delivered by researchers, practitioners and experts in the field, both from Romania and countries across Europe, with histories of strong democratic traditions and institutions. The scope and frequency of the resources and actions provided will depend on the availability of funds, but will always be delivered to the highest standards of excellence.