Author
Simone Júlio and Vânia Martins

Year
2025

Edition
Oficina

Partner
Rede de Autarquias Participativas e Município de Tavira

ISBN
978-989-36748-1-9

Synopsis
​This publication draws on the local experience of the Odemira Territory Forum (OTF), established in November 2021 in the Municipality of Odemira. The OTF emerged within the dynamic of a new local government cycle, in which citizen participation was defined as a core commitment in the Municipality's Governance Programme. Its creation stemmed from the ambition to foster an open and collaborative space where citizens, organisations, and local institutions could debate, propose, and co-create solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges facing the Odemira municipality.

Grounded in a culture of participation already well established in the municipality, the OTF positions itself as an innovative process of shared responsibility and collective learning, integrating deliberative methodologies, inclusive approaches, and practices of democratic experimentation. This guide aims to frame and systematise this experience through a contextual analysis, exploring its various specificities, including the methodologies used, the main challenges encountered, and the solutions developed.