On June 7, 2017 over 80 people participated in a day-long program kicked off by Dr. David Mathews, Chairman of the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI). Participants learned about the process and value of deliberative dialogue. Issue forums were held on the topics of Safety and Justice and Health Care. Previously trained UDOLLI members served as moderators.

The June 7-10, 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting featured a pre-conference moderator training meeting, and a subsequent deliberative forum using the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) issue guide titled Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?  The conference was an initiative of the American Democracy Project, the Democracy Commitment, and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).

NIFI is very proud to be partnering with Kettering Foundation to highlight the work of the NIF network next week. As of today, there have been more than 150 Safety and Justice forums held around the country—a hugely impressive achievement, and all due to you, the NIF network! We want your work recognized for the immense value it creates for communities and democracy as a whole, which is why we’re taking it to Capitol Hill next Tuesday.