On October 17, Admiral (Ret.) Dennis Blair, former Director of National Intelligence and Director of the CCD Project on the Role of the Armed Forces in Democratic Transition, was featured at a forum hosted by Marquette University. Admiral Blair spoke at length about the project, describing how the militaries of democratic countries can influence and support the development of democracy around the world. Blair’s visit was sponsored by the Helen Bader Foundation and was offered in partnership with the Department of Political Science in the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences.

Admiral Blair was also interviewed about the project on the Lake Effect program on Milwaukee Public Radio. Full audio of the interview is available on the WUWM website.

Panelists from plenary session on the role of governments, civil society and businesses in partnering to strengthen democracy.
Pictured: John Sullivan (CIPE) and
Michael Hershman (The Fairfax Group)

The Role of the Private Sector in
Support of Democracy

Hosted by the Organization of American States and in partnership with the Community of Democracies Working Group on Poverty, Development & Democracy, co-chaired by the Governments of Chile and Italy, the Center for International Private Enterprise and the Council of the Americas, CCD helped organized a half-day seminar on the role of the private sector in support of democracy in the Americas. Over 80 participants gathered to discuss the relationship between the private sector and democracy support, including such distinguished panelists as First Lady of El Salvador Vanda Guiomar Pignato, Michael Hershman, Founder of Transparency International, Berlin, Scott Miller, Director of Global Trade Policy for Proctor & Gamble, among others.

To read the final report from this meeting,
please click here.

Matt Levy, former CCD Program Officer, with
Diego Sueiras, President of the Fundacion
Nueva Generacion Argentina

The Rosario Roundtable on Democracy in the Americas

In partnership with the Latin American & Caribbean Network for Democracy (LACND), the Argentina New Generation Foundation and the World Movement for Democracy, CCD helped organize a 3-day meeting on issues related to the CD working groups in Rosario, Argentina from April 7 - 9, 2011. Over 80 civil society leaders and democracy activists from the region attended and discussed issues such as gender equality; good governance & corruption, enabling & protecting civil society; democracy education and others. This meeting also afforded the LACND to hold its second General Assembly to appoint new leaders and strengthen the network as it works to support democratic governance in the region.

To see the conference agenda, please click here.