Strengthening local democracy and democratic participation in a changing world
Conference in Oslo 30 September – 1 October 2004
Norway wishes to strengthen the role of the Council of Europe in conflict prevention, in particular through measures to promote good governance and provide a framework that allows greater understanding across cultures and religions. We believe that an active democracy at all levels of government is important in creating stability and encouraging participation in society.
Norway is convinced that an active democracy in which citizens participate at all levels of government is not only an important objective in itself, but also essential for the effectiveness of government. Against this background the conference focuses on how, in our changing world, local and regional democracy and democratic participation can be strengthened.
In particular, Norway wishes to strengthen the role of the Council of Europe in developing effective democratic governance at local and regional level.
By bringing together high-level politicians, officials and experts to review developments and share experiences, the Conference will provide a fresh impetus for current work and stimulate further activity and new projects.
Some of the key questions are:
- How can effective democratic local and regional governance be best developed ? - Is local politics still relevant in a global age? - Does more wealth in society lessen the need for participation? - Have people become more self-absorbed and less interested in collective action?
Or, on the contrary and as we believe in Norway, is citizen participation merely changing form, with citizens taking a more active role, encouraged and assisted by modern approaches to local government. A wide range of approaches and measures are available for building effective local and regional government and encouraging citizen participation in accordance with and drawing on Council of Europe conventions and recommendations.
The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities
Program *to be confirmed
Thursday September 30
08.30 - 11.30 Participant registration at Hotel Bristol
09.00 - 10.30 Visit to the Nobel Institute The Nobel Peace Prize – presentation by the Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Mr Geir Lundestad Depart at 9.00 am from Hotel Bristol (Institute 10 minutes walking distance from the hotel)
11.00 Coffee
11.30 – 13.00 Opening session: Challenges for local democracy in different European regions Chair: Mr Halvdan Skard, President, Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities / President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
— Council of Europe’s European Charter of Local Self-Government
Welcome and opening addresses: — Mr Jan Petersen, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe / Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway — Mrs Erna Solberg, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway — Mr Terry Davis*, Secretary General, Council of Europe — Mr Giovanni Di Stasi, President, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe — Speeches by invited ministers
Youth panel
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 15.30 2nd Session: Strengthening local democracy and citizens participation Chair: Mrs Greta Billing, Chair, Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Democratic Participation at Local and Regional Level / Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
— Council of Europe Recommendation (2001) 19 on the participation of citizens in local public life
Key questions and research analyses: — linking efficiency and participation — linking public deliberation and the legitimacy of local politics
Strengthening local democracy and citizens’ participation – recent trends in Europe Mr Gerry Stoker, Professor, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Closing the gap between democracy and efficiency Dr Elke Loeffler, Chief Executive, Governance International, United Kingdom
15.30 - 16.00 Coffee
16.00 – 17.30 3rd Session: Good governance and participation - national government perspectives Chair: Mr Frank Jenssen, State Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
Speeches by invited Ministers or Secretaries of State from different European countries
A comment on the different models and phases for strengthening local democracy and participation Mr John Loughlin, Professor, Cardiff University, United Kingdom / Vice- President, Committee of Independent Experts of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
18.00 – 19.00 Reception
20.00 Dinner at Hotel Bristol
Friday October 1
09.00 - 09.30 Good governance and participation at local and regional level Chair: Representative of the Council of Europe
Introduction: Strategy and approach
Introduction Mr Kim Traavik, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
The Council of Europe approach and strategy towards developing effective democratic governance at local and regional level Representative of the Council of Europe Secretariat
09.30 – 11.00 4th Session: Innovation and experiments - co-operation for local government capacity building
Better local and regional government through capacity building Representative of the Council of Europe Secretariat
Georgia’s experience in building the national local government association with international support Representative from Georgia
European networking as a tool for strengthening municipalities – Croatia’s experience Representative from the Association of Local Democracy Agencies
What municipalities in transitional countries can learn from international co-operation Representative from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Experiences in Municipal International Co-operation as a capacity building measure, with reference to Norway, Estonia and Serbia and Montenegro Representative from Buskerud County in Norway
11.00 - 11.30 Coffee
11.30 – 13.30 4th Session (continued): Innovation and experiments - good governance and participation at local level Chair: Mr Tor Saglie, Secretary General, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
Learning municipalities - networks between municipalities in Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, Norway and Ireland Presentations by representatives from the municipalities involved
Project ideas - the search for trust, legitimacy, participation and efficiency. Introduction and conclusion by Mr Morten Øgård, Associate Professor, University College of Agder, Norway
Concluding remarks - Learning across borders
The learning municipality: opportunities and challenges- ten years of European experience Mr Harald Baldersheim, Professor, University of Oslo, Norway
The Council of Europe as an arena for co-operation between all levels of government and their representatives - what do we bring back home to Norway and its citizens? Mr Torbjørn Frøysnes, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Norway to the Council of Europe
13.30 - 14.00 Closing session
Co-operation and learning between municipalities across national borders - future perspectives Mr Halvdan Skard, President of The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities / President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
Conference Declaration Mrs Erna Solberg, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
14.00 Lunch