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Forum History

 

The Forum was established by the Third Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe  (Warsaw, May 2005), to strengthen democracy, political freedoms and citizens' participation.

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Forum previous sessions

2011

(Limassol, Cyprus, October)

Interdependence of democracy and social cohesion.

New: Proceedings

"Radical measures taken in many countries to try to balance public budgets are both necessary and understandable†but  “Countries are running a high risk of seriously undermining the European model of social cohesion.† declared Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland while opening the Cyprus Forum.

2010

(Yerevan, October)

Perspectives 2020 Democracy in Europe - Principles and Challenges

Proceedings

 

''The Council of Europe has a unique strategic role to play in strengthening good democratic governance at all levels in the European space''. Democracy, or rather good democratic governance, is now not only intrinsically linked to the respect of human rights but is also recognised as the most effective form of governance to ensure stability, sustainability and well-being.

 That was the main message of the 2010 Forum.

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2009

(Kyiv, October)

Electoral systems: strengthening democracy in the 21st century

(Proceedings)

 "In a genuine democracy, the citizen is sovereign and the voter decides" - that was the main message of the 2009 Forum, which highlighted the need for greater public involvement, with a view to increasing voter turnout and ensuring that all stages of public life are democratic..

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2008

(Madrid, October)

"E-democracy: who dares?"

 

The discussions addressed the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on democracy.

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2007

(Stockholm, June)

"Power and empowerment - The interdependence of democracy and human rights"

 

This event addressed issues such as the role and responsibilities of the opposition, representative democracy at the local and regional level, empowerment of the individual and non-discrimination, respect for freedom of expression and association for civil society, and fostering democracy, human rights and social networks.

 (...)

 

2006

(Moscow, October)

"The role of political parties in the building of democracy"

 

The Forum reflected on  the role and responsibilities of political parties in finding democratic solutions to contemporary challenges, the interaction between political parties and with other actors in the democratic process, and the building and strengthening of democratic institutions.

(...)

 

Launch meeting (Warsaw, November 2005)

"Citizens' participation"

 

 

The discussions addressed the state of contemporary democracy in Europe.

(...)

Previous projects

("Making

Democratic institutions work")

 
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Forum for the Future of Democracy

    “The Role of Political Parties in the Building of Democracy”
    Moscow, 18-19 October 2006

    (Congress Center of the World Trade Center Moscow,
    Krasnopresnenskaya naberezhnaya, 12, Entrance 4, Floor 2)

    Programme

    18 October 2006

    9.00-10.00 Registration (Congress Center, World Trade Center, Moscow)

    10.00-10.30 Ceremony to launch the commemorative postage stamp dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Russia's membership in the Council of Europe

    10.30-11.30 OPENING SESSION

      Session Chairs:

      Mr Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the Russian State Duma
      Mr Sergey Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Chairman-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
      Mr René van der Linden, President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
      Mr Terry Davis, Secretary General, Council of Europe

    Opening of the Forum by Mr Boris Gryzlov

      Address by Mr Sergey Lavrov

    Address by Mr René van der Linden
    Address by Mr Boris Gryzlov and message from the President of the Russian Federation

      Address by Mr Terry Davis

    11.30-12.15 Coffee break
    Meeting with the press (2nd floor lobby)

    12.15-14.00 FIRST PLENARY SESSION

      Chairs: Mr René van der Linden

    Mr Boris Gryzlov

    12.15-12.40 Keynote speaker 1: Mr Mikko Elo, member of the Finnish Parliament, member of PACE, General Rapporteur

      "The role of political parties in the development of democracy"

    12.40-12.50 Statement by Mr Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland

    12.50-13.00 Statement by Mr Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro

    13.00-13.10 Statement by Mr Marc Franco, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Russia

    13.10-13.35 Keynote speaker 2: Mr Vladimir Shveitser (Russian Federation)
    Head of the Centre on Party and Political Studies, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences

    14.30-16.00 Lunch offered by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
    (World Trade Center Moscow)

    16.00-18.30 SECOND SESSION – WORKSHOPS

    Workshop I: Role and responsibilities of political parties in finding democratic solutions to contemporary challenges

      Chair: Mr Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Chairman of the Russian Delegation to PACE

      Workshop rapporteur: Dr Peter John Stuart Duncan, Senior Lecturer, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London

    Panellists:

      Mr Andreas Gross, Member of the Swiss Parliament, member of PACE
      Dr Martin Brusis, Centre for Applied Policy Research, Munich, Germany

    Discussion

    Workshop II: Interaction between political parties and with other actors in the democratic process

      Chair: Ms Annelise Oeschger, President of the Council of Europe’s INGO Conference

    Workshop rapporteur: Mr. Piotr Maciej Kaczynski

      Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw, Poland

      Panellists:

      Mr Vladimir Lukin, Commissioner for Human Rights of the
      Russian Federation

      Dr Peter Ferdinand, Centre for Studies in Democratisation (CSD), University of Warwick, United Kingdom

    Discussion

    Workshop III: Building and strengthening democratic institutions

      Chair: Mr Giovanni Di Stasi, former President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

      Workshop rapporteur: Dr Ingrid van Biezen, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

      Contribution by a representative of the European Commission

      Panellists:

      Mr Alexander Veshnyakov, Chairman of the Central Elections Committee of the Russian Federation

      Mr Adrian Severin, Member of the Romanian Parliament and member of PACE

    Discussion

    18.30-19.00 Press Conference

    19.15 Departure from Hotel Entrance No. 1 (for Conference dinner)

    20.00 Conference dinner

      (The State Duma, ul. Okhotny Ryad, 1, Entrance 2, Red Room)

    19 October 2006

    10.00-11.30 THIRD PLENARY SESSION – WORKSHOP REPORTS

    Chair: Mr Konstantin Kosachev

    10.00-10.45 Presentation by Workshop rapporteurs

    10.45-11.30 General discussion

    11.30-12.00 Coffee break

    Meeting with the press (2nd floor lobby)

    12.00-13.30 CLOSING SESSION

    12.00-12.30 Presentation of the conclusions by the General Rapporteur
    Mr Mikko Elo

    12.30-12.45 Comments by participants

    12.45-13.00 Closing remarks by Mr René van der Linden

    13.15-14.00 Press Conference