What is the New OIDP Special Award for AI?

This new OIDP Special Award is a technical-oriented recognition that seeks to acknowledge innovative practices that actively involve citizens and local communities in shaping how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is designed, governed, and implemented in local public services, forging a technological environment with ethically-driven, inclusive and participatory approaches. 

Organized by the International Observatory on Participatory Democracy (OIDP) in partnership with the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra, the International Alliance of Inhabitants (IAI), Red de Innovación Local (RIL), Monithon Europe and “EUDEMA.net - Appropriate technological transitions”, the Award promotes experimentations of democratic, ethical, inclusive, and locally-controlled AI. 

The award is designed as more than a one-off prize. It will feed an AI Localization and Participatory Governance Repository, support a new OIDP Working Group on “Local AI, Local Democracy and Participation,” and provide case studies for training, peer learning and annual follow-up on the scalability of recognised practices.

Eligibility criteria

This new OIDP Special Award will honour initiatives that put participation, ethics and local control at the centre of AI governance—especially systems that are open, customisable, culturally sensitive and rooted in local needs rather than fixed proprietary models.

Eligible practices must have been active and impactful throughout 2026 and must involve an operational use of AI, machine learning, algorithmic decision support, automated classification or recommendation, generative AI, or related computational systems in local or regional public governance. Pilot projects are eligible if tested with real users, public-sector workflows or community participation; purely conceptual proposals, procurement plans without implementation and vendor demonstrations are excluded.

Please read the Terms of the Award for more information on eligibility. 

Who can apply?

• Local and supralocal governments that have been promoting a participatory AI governance practice on a local or supra-local scale.
• Cities and governments that are not yet members of the OIDP and wish to apply must fill out the membership form when submitting their application by 5 January 2027     .
• Individuals, nonprofit organizations, community groups, educational institutions or cooperatives may also submit an application based on a practice promoted and implemented in collaboration with local and supra-local governments, exclusively with their written authorization.

How to apply?

• Applications may be submitted in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese, completing the Word Application Form and sent to oidp@uclg.org and giovanni.allegretti@ces.uc.pt. 
• Applications are due by 15 February 2027.

Key documents: 

• Terms of the OIDP Special Award for “Responsible and Participatory AI Governance”
• Word Application Form of the OIDP Special Award 
• Descriptive document 
• Annex: Dimensions and key factors for the evaluation of each sound practice

Selection and recognition

A multidisciplinary jury of 11 members will assess applications and select five finalists. Finalists will present their work in an online showcase session around the end of March 2027. The winning initiative will receive a trophy and diploma, visibility through OIDP channels, travel and accommodation for one representative to attend the OIDP Conference in Niterói, Brazil, from 10–13 May 2027, and an invitation to join a roundtable on AI governance and participatory democracy. 

Questions?

Questions on eligibility, submission or selection can be directed to the OIDP Technical Secretariat at oidp@uclg.org, with Giovanni Allegretti serving as the main contact at giovanni.allegretti@ces.uc.pt.