Participants of the CD Parliamentary Forum for Democracy Watch a Video Address by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
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The Community of Democracies Launches the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
Lithuania hosted a two-day meeting on March 11 and 12 establishing the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy (PFD), consisting of parliamentarians from nations representing the Community of Democracies (CD). Current or former parliamentarians from Lithuania, Mexico, the United States, the Czech Republic, Georgia and other CD countries were convened to launch this initiative to strengthen democratic institutions (particularly parliaments) based on their shared commitment to “work together to strengthen democracy where it is weak and invigorate even where it is longstanding, to promote the peace, development and human rights in their respective countries and around the world.” Resolutions were passed on the situations in Cuba, Georgia and the current accomplishments of the CD. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek each gave video addresses to the conference.
To read more about this conference, click here. |
Krakow Opera House, venue for the High Level Democracy Conference
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10th Anniversary of the Community of Democracies in Krakow, July 2-4
High level government representatives, prominent democracy and human rights activists, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and others from around the globe will gather in Krakow, Poland from July 2-4, 2010 to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Community of Democracies and strengthen their commitments to democratic development. Discussions will center on formulating strategies to overcome barriers faced by civil society in promoting and strengthening global democracy, the role of women in democracies, current threats to democracy and how to utilize social media to spread democratic values and promote freedom of expression around the globe.
Read More about the 10th Anniversary Conference
of the
Community of Democracies
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South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Sue van der Merwe addressed civil society participants, Ambassadors and other distinguished guests in Pretoria, South Africa
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Under a grant from the United Nations Democracy Fund, CCD held its first of five regional roundtables on democracy from February 22-24 in Pretoria, South Africa. More than 30 participants from 15 countries gathered to discuss the issues facing democracy in Africa, with the goal of developing recommendations on democracy promotion to the Community of Democracies and democratic governments from around the world while further discussing civil society efforts to support the ratification of the African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. On February 23, a gala dinner was held, emceed by CCD President Robert LaGamma with the keynote address given by South African Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe
To read more about this conference, click here. |
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Participants of the Lisbon Ministerial in July 2009, including CCD President Robert LaGamma and several ISC Members
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CCD Accomplishments in 2009 and Looking Ahead to 2010
2009 was a pivotal year in the development and mission of the Council for a Community of Democracies, in which it successfully organized civil society participation in the Lisbon Ministerial, organized its first regional training workshop on the Diplomat's Handbook and began to forge an effective relationship with the Lithuanian Chair of the CD by participating in Convening Group meetings and assisting in the reformulation of old and new CD Working Groups. 2010 further promises to be a groundbreaking year thanks in large part to a UN Democracy Fund grant in which we are organizing 5 regional roundtables of civil society in addition to planning regional training workshops on the Diplomat's Handbook. Members of the ISC will further be involved in the Working Groups; and the CD’s 10th Anniversary meeting in Krakow will be an opportunity for the organization to relaunch itself to provide more effective support for democracy.
Read CCD's 2009 Year in Review
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Thanks to the government of Spain, the Diplomat's Handbook for Democracy Development Support may now be found in Spanish. This marks an important development for the handbook as CCD begins to plan for diplomats' training workshops in Latin America while increasing the accessibility of this important work to the region and other Spanish speakers.
Read the Handbook in Spanish here. |
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| Convening Group Statement on Draft United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education & Training | March 2, 2010 |
| ISC Statement on Imprisonment of Chee Soon Juan| January 21, 2010 |
| Convening Group Statement on Presidential Elections in Ukraine | January 14, 2010 |
| CD Statement on Aung San Suu Kyi | October 26, 2009 |
| ISC/CD Says More than Lip Service Needed from International Community on Burma | July 12, 2009 |
| ISC/CD Calls for Release of Six Convicted Journalists in The Gambia | August 12, 2009 |
| Nongovernmental Declarations from the Lisbon Ministerial of the Community of Democracies | July 22, 2009 |
| Report of the Portuguese Presidency of the Convening Group | July 20, 2009 |
| Lisbon Declaration of the Community of Democracies | July 12, 2009 |
| Nongovernmental Recommendations of the Jakarta Roundtable for the Lisbon Ministerial | May 1, 2009 |
| CCD Task Force Recommendations to Obama Administration on Democracy Promotion | November 2008 |
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Since 2005, CCD has served as Secretariat for the International Steering Committee of the Nongovernmental Process of the Community of Democracies (ISC/CD). The ISC/CD is the recognized representative of civil society within the framework of the Community of Democracies. Members include representatives from all five regions of the world - Africa (sub-Saharan), the Americas, Asia, Europe (including Russia and NIS), and the Middle East/North Africa. |
The Diplomat's Handbook for Democracy Development Support is a project of the Community of Democracies, managed by CCD. Diplomats have often played vital roles supporting democratic transitions in their countries of assignment, but until now, no comprehensive training has existed to teach diplomats of the tools they have available. The Handbook contains resources and case studies documenting how diplomats can effectively assist civil society activists trying to promote democratic change in their countries. |
The concept of "education for democracy" is one of the core principles of the Community of Democracies. CCD has held three meetings on this theme, bringing together representatives of ministries of education, experts in education policy and reform, and civil society leaders to develop strategies for strengthening democracy education around the world. The Global Strategic Plan for Democracy Education, developed at a 2003 meeting, presents practical recommendations for improving approaches to teaching about democracy. |
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