Χαιρετώ,

I would like to address some thoughts in regards of further citizens’ participation. It is my first post on this subject although I had numerous discussions between the staff throughout the last year (2004) and even before my assignment as Scriber of the former Athens, Hellas. Citizens’ participation indeed is an issue very important not only for a web based community but for a number other non-web based communities! However I would prefer no to exclude all the other subscribed members of AWs.

Participation can be in short articulated as continues interest of an individual, who corresponds to all debated events. Posting messages and brief essays in relevant threads and chat events as well as trivia quizzes and essay competitions, I believe, is the main objective of AWs’ numerous groups and of their boards. As we can understand by some extensive non-contribution periods especially during summer, all projects in AWs were frizzed. Even today debates and events happened to be empty from members.

Of course we cannot force any individual to have specific timetable for his/her hobby. But we can at list make clear and state a message that the group needs even voluntarily a number of attention. I will give an example. When I was Scriber in Athens we had to organize the Khalkeia festival. My time was extremely limited, I was lack of Internet connection and with the different of the hour I had to go to an IT resource room of my University to have the opportunity to assist my fellow Scriber for the festivity. Indeed I went to the University early in the morning under snow and we tried for the bets! I believe the festivity was successful.

Nevertheless my point is that, whatever the membership level of the member all have to make some effort to do what is little to bit difficult to be done. And in that case is to assist of fellow leaders who diminish their free time to organize and structure events for AWs members’ enjoyment.

Yours,

Nikolaos Cleomenes