| Περίληψη: | The present chapter aims at providing insight into the concept of participation so that the reader can enrich his/her knowledge on this specific concept. This knowledge forms the ground for a better understanding of the content of subsequent chapters on participatory planning and the methods of participation that can be used towards this direction. The structure of the chapter has as follows: first it elaborates on the definition of the concept of participation, by presenting different literature views; next the objectives of participation in the planning process are discussed; it follows an insight into the basic principles of participation, while it is also stressed the importance of access to information by participants as a factor increasing their capacity and thus encouraging willingness to participate; then is presented a classification of the various types of participation, followed by recommendations addressed to the coordinators of a participatory process for enhancing its effectiveness; also advantages of participatory planning, but also challenges faced by planners for a successful implementation of participatory processes are discussed; while the final sections elaborate on the concept of participants and the different levels of their activity in a participatory process, as well as the role of participation in participatory planning exercises.
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