General Assembly 2011 of Association of the Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) took place in Bydgoszcz (9th July 2011), the day after the important International Conference on “Volunteering for Democracy”. ALDA members, including Local Democracy Agency Sisak, approved all the documents presented at the end of a challenging year for the Association.
“After the achievements of the first ten years of existence – stated Mr.Keith Whitmore, President of the Congress of the Council of Europe in his speech – the Association has become an important player in local democracy-building and a genuine driving force behind cross-border co-operation at both local and regional level – not only in South-East Europe but also increasingly in South Caucasus and the rest of the Eastern Partnership countries. And let’s not forget the crucial role played by ALDA in promoting the entry of South-East European countries in the European Union, and preparing the ground at local level for their future integration”.
ALDA and the Local Democracy Agencies, since their creation, have been actively promoting democracy and respect for human and minority rights in the countries of South Eastern Europe and of Southern Caucasus. Some of these countries are at the threshold of the European Union, though there are a number of challenges to be tackled before that step will be carried out.
“ALDA and the Local Democracy Agencies – stated Mr. Per Vinther, ALDA President – by means of helping local communities to create a better life for all of their inhabitants have constantly kept in mind that this effort should also be targeted to help the countries in question to prepare themselves for the “demands” of EU membership.”
Recently, involvement in the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership of the EU, EaP, has led ALDA to increase attention on the countries of Eastern Europe and intensify its longer term activities to help strengthen and promote the role of civil society in Belarus and Georgia as well as engage itself in the other countries of the EaP. In addition to that, we can include our ongoing cooperation with civil society organisations in EU neighbourhood countries on the southern side of the Mediterranean.
Based on its commitment to a Europe for All, ALDA has become a dedicated partner of the EU within the programme Europe for Citizens and, together with its members, has been implementing many projects to promote civic participation in its various forms, including volunteering.
ALDA is now working to develop all these activities to raise more and more important and effective objectives.
Assembly documents and photo gallery please see here.
