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Durban 04 Report.Final.Indd WORLD MOVEMENT for DEMOCRACY Confronting the Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century The Third Assembly Durban, South Africa, February 1–4, 2004 Building Democracy for Peace, Development, and Human Rights The World Movement for Democracy is a global network Steering Committee Members of democrats, including activists, practitioners, academics, policy makers, and funders, who have come together to cooperate in the promotion of democracy. as of the Third Assembly: The Washington, DC-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) ini- tiated this nongovernmental effort in February 1999 with a global Assembly Mahnaz Afkhami – Iran in New Delhi, India, to strengthen democracy where it is weak, to reform and Zainah Anwar – Malaysia invigorate democracy even where it is longstanding, and to bolster pro-democ- Genaro Arriagada – Chile racy groups in countries that have not yet entered into a process of demo- cratic transition. At the conclusion of that Inaugural Assembly, participants Lucie Coulibaly – Cote d’Ivoire adopted, by consensus, a Founding Statement creating the World Movement for Ivan Doherty – Ireland Democracy as a “pro-active network of democrats.” Emphasizing that the World Yuri Dzhibladze – Russia Movement is not a new centralized organization, the statement declares that the resulting network “will meet periodically to exchange ideas and experiences and Peter Eigen – Germany to foster collaboration among democratic forces around the world.” The World João Carlos Espada – Portugal Movement would also make use of different information and communication Abdou Filali-Ansary – Morocco technology to ensure the continuation of networking. Carl Gershman – United States Ivan Krastev – Bulgaria The World Movement intends to offer new ways to give practical help to democrats who are struggling to liberalize authoritarian systems and to consolidate emerging Bolívar Lamounier – Brazil democracies. It has the potential to do so in several ways . Chris Landsberg – South Africa • as an ally of democrats in dangerous situations who need political solidarity and Irena Lasota – Poland/USA moral support; Riad Malki – Palestine • as a lobby for the cause of democracy in international bodies and in countries Ghia Nodia – Georgia where democracy is under siege; Ayo Obe – Nigeria • as a facilitator that can help link democrats from different countries and regions to exchange information more efficiently, work together, and help one another; Nafiz Can Paker – Turkey • as an innovator that can encourage the development of new ideas and effective Michael Pinto-Duschinsky – United Kingdom approaches for overcoming obstacles to democracy; Xiao Qiang – China • as a big tent that can provide a meeting place for democrats who are active in Krzysztof Stanowski – Poland different professional areas, such as human rights, law, political party develop- Elisabeth Ungar – Colombia ment, workers’ rights, economic reform, research, and education; • as a resource center that can make basic materials on democracy available to groups around the world; Steering Committee Members who have joined since the • as a monitor that can convey the views of democratic activists on the efficacy of different forms of democracy support; and Third Assembly: • as a catalyst to stimulate new initiatives and help shape the priorities of the Zainab Bangura – Sierra Leone broader community of institutions concerned with the promotion of democracy. Han Dongfang – China Melinda Quintos de Jesus – Philippines Roel von Meijenfeldt – Netherlands Networks The World Movement Web site (www.wmd.org) provides links to, or contact Ravi Nair – India information for, various regional and functional networks focused on advancing Inna Pidluska – Ukraine democracy. For an updated list of the Steering DemocracyNews Committee, visit the World Movement’s As the electronic newsletter of the World Movement, DemocracyNews enables Web Site at www.wmd.org. participants to share information with their colleagues, announce events and pub- lications, and request assistance or collaboration in their work. To subscribe to Secretariat: DemocracyNews, send an e-mail message to [email protected]. National Endowment for Democracy World Movement Assemblies Art Kaufman Global assemblies offer World Movement participants the opportunity to take Project Manager stock of the accomplishments they have achieved and the challenges they con- front, and to build networks of mutual solidarity and support. Table of Contents Message from the Steering Committee ........................................................................................................................... 3 Opening Session Welcoming Remarks • Christopher Landsberg – South Africa ......................................................................................................................... 4 • Honorable Premier L.P.H.M. Mtshali – South Africa .................................................................................................... 4 • African National Congress – South Africa .................................................................................................................... 5 Keynote Addresses • Lodi Gyari – Tibet ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 • Zainab Bangura – Sierra Leone .................................................................................................................................... 6 • Ivan Krastev – Bulgaria ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Democracy Courage Tributes ......................................................................................................................................................7 Democracy Fair ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Plenary Session: Promoting Democracy in Closed Societies ......................................................................................... 10 Workshop Reports Civil Society • Developing Sustainable Civil Society Leadership for Democracy ............................................................................... 11 • Exploring Innovative Uses of Cultural Resources in Promoting Democracy .............................................................. 11 • After the Breakthrough: Avoiding Democratic Backsliding and Stagnation ................................................................ 12 • NGO Coalitions: Strategies to Defend the Independence of NGOs ............................................................................. 13 • The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Hindering or Helping Transitions to Democracy ....................................... 14 • Democracy in the Muslim World: Obstacles, Difficulties, and Best Methods ............................................................. 15 Conflict Resolution, Transitional Justice, and Reconciliation • Democracy as a Tool for Conflict Resolution ............................................................................................................. 16 • Strategies for Democrats in Situations of Armed Conflict .......................................................................................... 17 • Indigenous Approaches to Conflict Resolution .......................................................................................................... 18 • Conflict Resolution Work: The Democratic Capacity-Building Dividend ..................................................................... 19 • Instruments of Transitional Justice: Truth Commissions, Tribunals, and Multi-Sector Community Approaches ............................................................................................. 20 • The Role of Sites of Conscience Museums in Democracy Promotion and Post-Transition Reconciliation ................ 21 • Transitional Justice and the Matter of the “Disappeared” .......................................................................................... 21 Democracy Education • Teaching Civic Education: What are the Best Approaches In School and Out? .......................................................... 22 • Combating Political Extremism through Civic Education: What Should Be Taught and How to Teach It? ................. 22 • Democracy Education in Difficult Political and Cultural Environments ...................................................................... 23 • Putting Democracy Education on the Global Agenda: Stategies for Working with National, Regional and Multilateral Institutions .......................................................... 24 • Creating a Network for Higher Education’s Role in Democracy Building ................................................................... 26 Building Democracy for Peace, Development, and Human Rights Democratic Governance • Governance, State Capacity, and Democracy in Developing Nations: Establishing Standards and Indentifying Impediments .......................................................................................... 27 • Trade Unions in the Vanguard of Democratic Governance ......................................................................................... 29 • The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Participatory Democracy ...............................................................................................
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