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Newsletter N°20 - April 2021

EDITORIAL

Europe needs dialogue

Europe needs dialogue. This has hardly ever been as clear as it is today: populism, isolationism, difficult travel conditions, growing anti-democratic tendencies. But on the other hand, we also see many opportunities in the upcoming months where dialogue can promote exchange, cohesion and strong democracies. Because word is spreading at all levels that dialogue and participation are key.

The EU will soon start the long-awaited Conference on the Future of Europe. Citizens will be directly involved, for example through randomly-selected citizens' assemblies. Democracy International will scrutinise every step of the process. We’ll draw attention to shortcomings such as lack of transparency, procedural discrepancies, and unequal opportunities for citizen or civil society’s participation in the Conference.

But we’ll also complement the Europe-wide dialogue with our other projects. The dome of the European Public Sphere will visit seven countries this year! On- or offline, we’ll enter into conversation at European places of remembrance on our Remember Tour. Inspired by the past, we are looking for solutions for a future-proof Europe.

At the same time, our dialogue team has been reinforced! Since the beginning of April, four participants from ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL's renowned ASA volunteering programme are supporting us. And within the next six months, they will ensure an intensified, digital, Ukrainian-German dialogue. We are looking forward to it!

 

Daniela Vancic and Anne Hardt
European Programme Manager and Campaigning & Fundraising Manager, Democracy International
 

Upcoming events from our community

Join the International Democracy Community to keep posted on democracy events and to promote your own events.

  
 

In short

  • The Conference on the Future of Europe
    It is on its way! With the Citizens Take Over Europe alliance, we launched a consultation open to all citizens so that you can have your say about the future of Europe you want. The deadline is May 31st. Take part in the survey.
  • Voters without Borders:
    EU citizens: sign the VOTERS WITHOUT BORDERS European citizens’ initiative to: 1) make EU citizenship a real citizens 2) take a step towards universal suffrage 3) encourage better integration of EU citizens with local communities 4) help build a transnational EU democracy. Read more and sign here now.
  

                
                    
                        
                    
                    
                        
                    
                    
                        
                    
                
            
A Letter From Santiago, Where Chileans Are Seeking a New Constitution
Chile is raising hopes and winning praise worldwide as it elects delegates to a new convention with the goal of replacing the current constitution, a 1980 product of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. But the risks may be high.
Read more here
Dealing with this complicated history, Peru‘s transition to democracy started 17 years ago. The constitution of the semi-presidential republic enshrines not only four direct-democratic instruments at the national level, but also two at the local level. At the  Navigator to Direct Democracy symposium on “Political Culture and Active Citizenship” at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Arturo Maldonado, professor at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, spoke with Democracy International about the use of these instruments at the local level and the current status of democracy in Peru.
Tunisia, 10 years after the Arab spring - Interview with Dr Moncef Marzouki

What is the state of democracy in Tunisia, the birth place of the Arab Spring, ten years on? We spoke to Tunisia's first democratic president, Dr. Moncef Marzouki.

Read more here
How do ordinary citizens view Germany’s role in the world?

On 20 February, the Citizens’ Assembly on Germany’s Role in the World came to an end and the results of the Assembly’s ten online meetings were published. The citizens’ recommendations on Germany’s global position was handed over to the Bundestag on 19 March to be used in policy-making.
Read more here
Direct Democracy Goes Online
Corona has made circumstances for German citizens' initiatives difficult. We spoke to Michael Stanglmaier about innn.it, a new online tool to promote direct democracy in Germany.
Read more here
Moutier: the Swiss conflict that has been ongoing for more than 200 years
Last month, the western Swiss town of Moutier voted for the second time on whether to leave German-speaking canton Bern and join French-speaking canton Jura. This is part of an ongoing conflict that is typically Swiss.
Read more here
Share your opinions at the workplace - for the sake of democracy
Employees who are allowed to have a say at work are more likely to participate in the democratic process outside the office. But new trends in the labour market are a threat to democracy, warns a Swiss expert.
Read more here
In 2021, Democracy International will be part of the ASA Volunteer Program for the first time!

Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, ASA is one of the most renowned volunteer programs in Germany. We are very happy that our European Public Sphere has been selected as a project!
Read more here
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