Welcome to Electionville - learning about democracy by playing the floor game

Last autumn, 32 young people and 100 citizens were “stepping in the city councilor’s shoes” by participating in Electionville events that were held in 3 cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mostar, Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

For the first time, Welcome to Electionville events were organized in Bosnia and Herzegovina by LDA Mostar in a period from September 30 – October 22, 2021. The events were organized with the support of the Swedish Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the game was developed by Swedish Institute.

By playing this floor game, young people build their knowledge on several processes: participation, decision-making and the process of democratization. Through this game, young people have the opportunity to understand what are city priorities and what are the local community needs, to experience lobbing and citizens activism and to form the city budget.

Originally designed as a board game by the Swedish content bureau Fabel and commissioned by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, Electionville is a fictional city in the shape floor game, equally fun and engaging.

The main objective of the Electionville toolkit is to educate about and provide insights into how democracy works. Also, to increase awareness about democratic processes and its value, to encourage citizens participation and to encourage better communication between the citizens and local authorities.

Previously selected through a public call, 32 young people participated in the Electionville game. They „stepped in the city councilor's shoes” and managed to present their „political programs”, allocated the city budget to their priorities, and with dialogue and compromise made important decisions for their city.

All three events took place in the presence of real councilors, who had the opportunity to talk to young participants of the Welcome to Electionville events. The game was moderated by the skillful game master and game master assistants. Representatives of the Embassy of Sweden in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the representatives of LDA Mostar participated in all three events along with the citizens of Mostar, Sarajevo and Banja Luka.