Civil Society 2.0 aims to use social networks and online collaboration to transform hierarchical political structures into a model that empowers citizens. It proposes building a "Virtual House" citizen engagement platform that acts as a one stop shop for citizens to get answers to key questions and help mobilize around European issues. The platform would be open, collaborative, flexible and simple to use. It advocates starting small by focusing on answering questions and mobilization, with the goal of being transparent and putting citizens in the driver's seat of political change.

1. Civil Society 2.0

2. Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. Victor Hugo

3. CRISIS means DANGER AND OPPORTUNITY

4. Political disconnect GAP between ‘the people’ and ‘the elite’ Frustration with the European project Lack of engagement - people increasingly skeptical about the European ideals The Zeitgeist

5. The world has changed

6. The internet is changing the world, and how we communicate A new world of information

9. To connect To share knowledge To make a difference The internet has grown because people want three things:

10. Will radically transform our very notion of Civil Society It will put the citizens firmly in the driver seat Do to political institutions what the internet has done to companies: reverse the pyramid - transform the hierarchical structures of traditional command and control and empower the citizens to drive political change The Virtual House

11. By using social networks and online collaboration as the corner stone of our virtual house How?

13. It works today Simplicity of answerpage and selectionof best answer

14. Causes

17. Start simple Building our virtual house together with citizens and stakeholders: always UNDER CONSTRUCTION Start by focusing on two simple things: Answering key questions Helping to mobilise One stop shop for citizen engagement with the EU Our vision

19. Open and transparent Collaborative Flexible, organic and agile Simplicity FOUR Key success principles: our o.s.

20. ZN has been working for 12 years with the leading companies and organisations on some of the most challenging issues they face We understand the limitations and the opportunities of such campaigns We understand the key needs of a large and complex organisation and how to connect it to the online world We are trusted by the leading companies in the world to do just that Why us?

22. Join us:www.citizenhouse.eu

23. Help us to make this happen www.citizenhouse.eu For more information contact Philip Weiss at ZN on phil@zn.be