PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES BEFORE THE PUBLIC FORUM:
- Assessing citizens’ interest – stakeholder checklist;
- Venue selection: appropriate room size; accessibility for all categories (available for persons with disabilities, mothers with strollers or small children); safe location; available parking and restrooms; possibility of engaging a sign language interpreter; possibility of preparing public notices in Braille and/or audio format;
- Venue preparation: cleaning the space and restrooms, testing technical equipment, ensuring heating/air conditioning;
- Setting the date, time, and duration, and publishing the announcement in due time;
- Defining the format: in-person/online; whether it will be recorded or not;
- Defining the agenda and the rules of the public forum;
- Preparing supporting documentation (e.g., land registry and cadastral maps, old/new planning documents);
- Preparing presentation(s);
- Preparing/printing rules of conduct, attendance sheets, standardized comment forms, event evaluation forms, etc.;
- Security: in the case of sensitive topics, special attention should be given to safety – if needed, engage a security agency for high-risk events;
- Working team: facilitator, note-taker, support/technical staff;
- Define the need and relevance of inviting the media (media invitation).
