Le temps des citoyens - Au cœur de la démocratie participative au CESE

It all starts with a vibration in your pocket, a message or a call you almost didn't answer, thinking it was a scam. For Sandrine, 48, a kindergarten teacher in Loire-Atlantique, for Christian, 79, a retired osteopath in Antibes, and for Caleb, 12, a middle school student in Reims, this phone call from the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) marks a turning point. They are among 133 citizens, along with a panel of 20 young people, randomly selected with a mission: to rethink how children's lives are structured to promote their learning and well-being. The adventure begins in the majestic and imposing Palais d'Iéna. There, they meet Antoine, the project coordinator, and Colombine, a high school student from northern France, all initially impressed by the solemnity of the place and the weight of the mission. For five months, through 21 days of intensive work, these strangers from rural areas, large cities, and overseas territories must learn together before debating and working collaboratively. The documentary immerses us in the heart of the complexity of our society. From personal convictions and experiences to systemic issues, collective intelligence is harnessed to enable constructive dialogue. Between plenary sessions and smaller group workshops, the citizens share their individual experiences but also step back to embrace a collective vision and project. This is precisely the aim of a Citizens' Convention: to provide sincere, concrete, and achievable answers and solutions. Far removed from partisan divisions, these citizens have invented a new way of building the future. But how can we build a society for children without the perspective of children themselves? Working in parallel on their own reports, the 20 children and teenagers challenge some of the adults' certainties. Above all, they converge on many points. “We quickly realized that change was possible,” says 17-year-old Colombine. More than just an institutional account, this documentary is a portrait of a “unique democratic experience.” The strength of this demanding exercise lies in the unlikely encounter of 133 people who, in everyday life, would almost certainly never have met. A human adventure where, in the words of Kenza Occansey, Chair of the Citizens’ Convention Governance Committee, we finally learn to build public policies “without there being winners and losers in the end.” Citizens’ Conventions are proof that public policies can be built starting from the real needs of those most directly affected—in this case, children—and of citizens, while relearning how to listen to one another. The French Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) invites you to delve into the heart of this unique initiative. A documentary by Clémentine Isaac.