In order to do something about the great structural inequality, the municipal authorities of the Brazilian metropolis Belo Horizonte (5 million inhabitants) resolved a special course of action: The citizens themselves should be allowed to decide where the money goes. Since the introduction of the participatory budget more the 1.000 measures have been carried out. A process which has permanently changed the lives of people in the city.

With almost 700.000 inhabitants one of the largest cities in Argentina, La Plata involves its citizens more and more in the allocation of public funds. The living conditions in La Plata have improved greatly through the introduction of the participatory budget and this has been through the active involvement of those affected.

With the 2011 Reinhard Mohn Prize, the Bertelsmann Stiftung wants to bring new momentum to the debate on how democratic systems can be made "future ready" by helping them respond to current and future challenges.