National Civic League: Civic Engagement and Collaboration
The National League of Cities (NLC) is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States. The NLC mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance. Established over 85 years ago and working in partnership with 49 state municipal leagues, such as the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the NLC serves as a resource and advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents.
This past week the NLC held their annual Congress of Cities in Denver, with a theme of âHelping City Leaders Build Better Communities.â The City of Eau Claire and Clear Vision Eau Claire were one of 14 local community civic engagement initiatives showcased at this national event.
One of the featured books at the conference was Alliances, Coalitions, and Partnerships: Building Collaborative Organizations. Author Joan Roberts, an award winning organizational development consultant, writes that major world philosophies and religion emphasize the importance of four common values:
- AÂ balance of work and play
- A sense of spirituality and connection to nature
- Living with family and in community
- Experiencing beauty through nature, art, dancing, and singing
At the same time, Roberts notes, the prevalent disengagement in a robust public life works against the enjoyment of these fundamental characteristics of a well-lived human life. The antidote is participation, active engagement, and collaboration. And the key to all of this is rebuilding the one-to-one relationships that connect us to each other and sustain the sense of community for which we all yearn.