Dr Jacek Kucharczyk in the meeting of the Governing Council of Community of Democracies in London

On 14th of November, Dr Jacek Kucharczyk, IPA President, took part in the 37th meeting of the Governing Council of Community of Democracies in London as well as the meetings of CoD Executive Committee and the regional meeting of European members of the Civil Society Pillar (CPS) of the CoD. Dr Kucharczyk is currently the vice-chair of the CPS International Steering Committee.  

The Governing Council Meeting, chaired by the Canadian Government, laid the foundations for the work on the new CoD Strategic Plan, which will define the role of this organization in promoting democratic values and strengthening democratic resilience in the times of deepening social and political divisions. Enhancing the role of women and young people in politics will be the cornerstones of this new strategy. Civil society organizations are actively participating in the development of this new strategy and will play an important role in its implementation. 

One of the topics of discussion was the role of multilateral organizations in strengthening democracy. The approaching 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the enduring relevance of this document was evoked by several speakers representing both governments and civic organizations. CoD Secretary General Thomas Garrett as well as a number of members of the CoD Civil Society Pillar, including the Institute of Public Affairs, endorsed the call for the United Nations to appoint a rapporteur on democracy. The text of this statement can be accessed here and is open for organizations and individuals who support this idea.

https://www.democracywithoutborders.org/unrod-call/