The Civic Action Association is a community based grassroots organization that came into existence a couple of weeks into the economic collapse. In a very direct sense, the group was a response to a widespread feeling of discontent regarding the government’s handling of the crisis, not least in terms of information sharing. People were not getting answers to questions that seemed all important, cataclysmic events were occurring every day, yet officials, members of parliament and the government dissembled, offering little in the way of a planned response or a coherent message.

Thus the group came into being with the intent of hosting civic meetings where those in power were held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof, and a forum was created wherein citizens could voice their concerns directly to their representatives. These meetings, starting on October 27th, went from strength to strength, culminating in a way in a civic meeting on November 24th where the group rented Reykjavík’s largest theater and, once again, invited the government which, having declined up until then, attended and, in front of a crowd of two thousand people, engaged in a two hour Q&A session broadcast on live television.

These meetings have continued , varying in scope and subject matter, and with widely differing panelists. At one meeting, we were visited by the unions at a large event, at another by media spokespeople,  one with a panel on the economic collapse with foreign experts. So far, thirteen meetings have been held with our only goal, to seek answers.

Spokesman

Gunnar Sigurðsson (gus@mmedia.is - Tel: +354 897 7694)