Civic Action Game is created to support collective decision and plan making processes for post-disaster recovery and development. The game functions as the backbone of a collaborative process and is joined by diverse citizen groups, community leaders, civic entrepreneurs, thought leaders, key city decision makers, cultural institutions, business leaders and potential funders. The game mechanics and components are developed such that the Civic Action Game can be localized for communities in recovery and redevelopment worldwide.

A first iteration of the game is being developed and planned to be implemented in Hatay province of Turkey to be implemented in May 2024. The 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit Southeastern Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, officially took an estimated 60,000 lives.  Hatay province in Turkey and Aleppo region in Syria are among the most damaged areas. Both regions are taken into the agreement between Civic and Play the City to implement and deepen the Civic Action Game. Civic Action Game helped local and international humanitarian organizations to kick off the recovery process for the local economy. Initial pilot sessions enabled local entrepreneurs, civic organizations, and experts to explore systemic change despite many unpredictabilities and complex challenges in the region.

How does the Civic Action Game work?

Game Round 0

Game sessions kick off with elaborated and well researched site analysis, unraveling local latent assets to be unlocked by the community. Four game rounds are designed to generate collective narratives that help clarify short and long term action plans. Image 3

Game Round 1

First game round responds to the research focusing on systemic changes concerning the recovery and rebuilding of the local economy. Players select themes based on seven transition themes that the game provides: 1. New civic institutions 2. New models of care 3. Future heritage 4. Digital valley 5. Special places to visit 6. Circular economy 7. Regenerative agriculture

Each local adaptation of the game comes with unique ‘What if’ questions, stimulating participants to imagine a future transition scenario collectively that will trigger social and/or economic leaps. Corresponding innovation cards inspire players to imagine alternative futures. Different themes potentially come to the foreground for each local case of Hatay/Voznesensk/Aleppo that the game will be customized for. This round purposefully mixes participants from theoretical and practical backgrounds to support a more comprehensive perspective for a given transition.

Game Round 2

In the second round, strategic development experts [planners, economists, architects, ecologists...] respond to collective ‘What if’ pitches created by different teams. Critical questions, agreements and conflicts emerge in this round and help players organically develop a realistic long term socio-economic future for Hatay/Voznesensk/ Aleppo regions using the regional simulation board of 1:25.000 scale.

Game Round 3

In the third round, local [civic] entrepreneurs map their own businesses, social and cultural initiatives, and supportive academic research using a unique canvas and local simulation board [1:2000 scale] provided by the game. They clarify their role as an individual or group of local entrepreneurs within the emerging socio-economic ecosystem.

Game Round 4

In the final round, the game confronts participants with a direct question: ‘We start tomorrow working out our plans, where do we begin?’ This is the round when concrete short term goals come above the surface hinting at necessary direct investments [microgrants] that will help the local enterprises take immediate action.