Democracy Promotion: The European Way
In response to increasing concerns about the viability of present means of democracy promotion, leading Members of the European Parliament Marco Pannella MEP, Marco Cappato MEP, and Annemie Neyts-Uytterbroeck MEP, from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), and in partnership with UNPO, the Transnational Radical Party and No Peace Without Justice, have organised a conference on “Democracy Promotion: The European Way” held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium from 6 - 7 December 2006.
Read the Speech of Mr. Graham Watson MEP
Read the Speech of Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner
As leading policy makers in the field of democratisation, all noted the numerous benefits of promoting democracy world-wide, not least with respect to security and the promotion of Human Rights, but also acknowledged the complexity and uncertainty that always accompanies this process. This underlined the necessity of reflecting upon the most effective strategies available to policy makers, as well as the importance of learning from the valuable experiences and knowledge of grass-roots practitioners in the field of democratisation.
Read the Full Statement of UNPO President Mr. Ledum Mitee
Read the Full Statement of Mr. Mohamoud Abdi Daar, Representative of Somaliland
UNPO Members were joined also by representatives from other groups working to promote democracy: Marco Perduca, Executive Director of the International Antiprohibitionist League, Osvaldo Alfonso, Former President of the Liberal Democratic Party of Cuba, Evgheny Zhovtis, Director of the International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Walid Salem, Palestinian Centre for the Dissemination of Democracy and Community Development, Vanida Tephsouvanh, Lao Movement for Human Rights, Vo Van Ai, President of Quê Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam, Carl Gershman, Director of the National Endowment for Democracy, Roel Van Meijenfeld, Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, Scott Carpenter, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, and Wei Jingsheng, Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition and 1996 Sakharov Prize Laureate.
Read the full address of UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin here.
Following two days of debate and discussion, the conclusions of the Conference were summarised in a document circulated to all participants. These recommendations, based substantially on the views and experiences of the grass-roots practitioners who attended, will undoubtedly play a valuable role in the ongoing process of articulating a viable European strategy for the promotion of democracy.
Democracy Promotion: The
Urgent Messages to
Programme of Proceedings
Opening remarks:
Annemie Neyts MEP (President of the ELDR Party)
Hélène Flautre MEP (Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights)
Marco Cappato MEP (Vicechair of the Mashreq Delegation)
Michael Kau (Senior adviser, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy)
Marino Busdachin (UNPO Secretary General)
Kok Ksor (Transnational Radical Party and Montagnard Leader
Enver Can (Former President of the East Turkestan National Congress
Vanida Tephsouvanh (Lao Movement for Human Rights)
Erion Veliaj (MJAFT! Movement
Bakhtiar Amin (Foundation for the Future
Osvaldo Alfonso (Former President of the Liberal Democratic Party of
Evgheny Zhovtis (Director International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of
Walid Salem (
Pierre Akel (Director Middle East Trasparent website)
Democracy Promotion: Initiatives For Institutional Reform Inside And Outside The European Union
Introduction and Chair by:
Edward Mc-Millan Scott MEP (VicePresident of the European Parliament)
Marco Pannella MEP (Leader of the Transnational Radical Party)
Benita Ferrero-Waldner (EU Commissioner for External Relations)
Graham Watson MEP (Leader of the
Natan Sharansky (Former Soviet Dissident, Member of the Knesset)
Carl Gershman (Director, National Endowment for Democracy)
Roel Van Meijenfeld (Director, Nederland Institute Multiparty Democracy)
Parris Chang (Former Vice-President of
Emanuele Ottolenghi (Director, Transatlantic Institute)
Alessandro Battilocchio MEP (Development Committee Rapporteur on EIDHR)
Vo Van Ai (President of Quê Me: Action for Democracy in
Samer Abu Libdeh (Senior Fellow Centre for
Riad Malki (
Mohsen Marzouk (Founder and Coordinator Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center; Director Regional Civil Society Program
Wei Jingsheng (Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition; 1996 Sakharov Prize Laureate)
To know more on UNPO’s partners to the conference “Democracy Promotion: The European Way” please visit the following links to their official website:
Conference Report