About Us
UN Human Rights Council
UN Democracy Caucus
Community of Democracies
Activities
Resources
Contact Us
Site Map
Community of DemocraciesLeaders from Around the World Issue Call for Democracy Movement Leading figures from civil society, business, politics and academia from every continent issued a joint statement May 7, 2002 calling on citizens to urge governments to deepen democracy at the national and international levels. The statement, in referring to the events of September 11 and its aftermath, makes an appeal for “building open societies that practice tolerance, respect for human rights, the rule of law and governmental accountability and transparency [as] essential to any effective strategy to address the root causes of extremism.” Among the leading figures endorsing the joint statement are Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos Horta, Kuwaiti women's rights champion Samira Omar, philanthropist George Soros, Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, South African Speaker of Parliament Frene Ginwala, former Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, and former President of Peru Valentin Paniagua. Issued simultaneously in five languages, the statement underscores the multi-cultural nature of the global democracy movement: “Representing countries of every region and many different historical experiences and levels of development, we affirm the universality of democracy’s purpose, principles and promise, while recognizing a diversity of democratic forms and processes.” The statement bases its campaign for greater activism on a new alliance among democratic governments called the “Community of Democracies,” which met for the first time in June 2000 in Warsaw, Poland. At that meeting, Aung San Suu Kyi made an impassioned appeal, via video smuggled out of the country, for international help in restoring democracy in Myanmar. Over 100 governments have endorsed the Warsaw Declaration committing them to respect a core set of democratic norms and practices and to develop a common agenda to protect and strengthen democracy in countries that have chosen that path. “The [Warsaw] Declaration creates a unique opportunity,” the signers declare. “But the task requires mobilizing democracy supporters to bring pressure to bear on governments and international organizations, including international financial institutions, to make them more accountable.” Foreign ministers will meet again this November 10–12 in Seoul, Korea to review progress and devise a plan of action. A non-governmental forum will take place at the same time and will issue recommendations to the ministers on such issues as responses to coups; governance criteria for loans, trade preferences and debt relief; and regional strategies to support the development of democracy. The document expresses concern about the “fragile” state of democracies in the world, many “suffer[ing] from weak institutions and extreme poverty.” The signers also noted that “all democratic countries, whether mature or nascent, are imperfect, continually evolving as they grapple with numerous challenges in building free and prosperous societies. They have much to learn from one another.” The joint statement urges greater solidarity among like-minded democratic activists and calls on governments to condemn efforts to interfere with their work. “A vibrant civil society is a central pillar of a dynamic and durable democracy and is the key to realizing the potential of the Community of Democracies. This is especially true at a time when terrorist attacks and responses to them are destabilizing democratic institutions and curtailing citizens’ rights.” The ‘Call to Action’ and ‘Warsaw Declaration’ are available in five languages.
Community of Democracies Over 100 governments participated in a landmark international political event in Warsaw, Poland in June 2000. In an effort to further consolidate their commitment to democratic principles, they agreed to endorse the Warsaw Declaration, which commits them to build a Community of Democracies as an association of democratic states dedicated to strengthening democratic values and institutions at home and abroad. Complementing the biennial ministerial gathering was a parallel nongovernmental meeting of leading democracy activists and thinkers from around the world. A Convening Group made up of Chile, the Czech Republic, India, Mali, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and the United States organized a second ministerial meeting in Seoul, Korea in November 2002 and adopeted the Soeul Plan of Action to deepen and sustain the commitments made in Warsaw; a parallel forum of civil society leaders was also convened in Seoul. Since the Seoul Ministerial Meeting, the Community of Democracies has held two other biennial ministerial meetings in Santiago, Chile in 2005 and Bamako, Mali in 2007. The Community of Democracies is set to hold another biennial meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in July, 2009.
Documents Related to the Community of Democracies
Call
to Action Call to Action (translated into 4 languages)
| Back to Top | Home |
| Back to Top | Home |
Community of Democracies meetings held to date: • Lisbon Ministerial 2009
| Back to Top | Home | |
