Applications have opened on Friday 24 April to take part in the Citizens’ Assembly, a new participatory dialogue process focused on the impact of GO! 2025 – European Capital of Culture 2025 Nova Gorica–Gorizia and on the future prospects of the cross-border area. The Assembly will consist of 60 participants: 24 appointed by the Municipalities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba, and 36 selected through an open public call.

Meetings of the Citizens’ Assembly will take place at the EPICenter in Nova Gorica on the following dates: 22 May, 24 June and 10 July, always from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Throughout the process, participants will take part in information sessions, small-group discussions and facilitated dialogue sessions, contributing to the development of the final recommendations.
Anyone over the age of 18 who lives, works or studies in the cross-border area of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba may apply. No specific technical expertise is required. What is required is a willingness to attend all scheduled meetings, to listen to different viewpoints and to actively contribute to the discussion.

To apply, candidates must complete the form available on the website of the International Sociological Institute of Gorizia (ISIG) (direct link: isig.it/go2025_open-call/), selecting a thematic area of greatest interest from among culture and creativity, economy and tourism, civil society and community, or cross-border cooperation. This choice serves an organizational purpose and helps ensure a balanced composition of participants.
Applications submitted through the open call will be selected using a method designed to ensure balance and diversity through a stratified random selection, based on criteria such as territory, age, gender, level of education and field of experience. This system aims to create a group that is as representative as possible of the cross-border community, preventing participation from being limited only to people who are already involved in or close to the same circles.

The Citizens’ Assembly is not a political body nor a formal representative forum. It is a space for dialogue made up of citizens who are invited—with the support of data and information—to discuss the social and cultural effects of GO! 2025, the strengths and challenges that have emerged, as well as future opportunities and the cross-border legacy of the European Capital of Culture experience.

Promoted as part of the monitoring and evaluation activities of GO! 2025, coordinated by ISIG on behalf of the EGTC GO and in collaboration with Javni Zavod GO! 2025, the initiative aims to directly involve the community of the Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba area in a structured process of listening, dialogue and in-depth discussion.

The goal is to gather evaluations, needs and proposals that will help formulate shared recommendations, which will also contribute to the preparation of the final report to be submitted to the European Commission.

Direct link to the application form for the Citizens’ Assembly:
https://isig.it/go2025_open-call/