Strasbourg, 12/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The first edition of the World Forum for Democracy came to an end on Thursday 11 October. Jean-Louis Laurens, the general coordinator for the Forum organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, was master of the closing ceremonies organised in the Chamber of one of the oldest of the pan-European institutions. He was replacing the secretary general, Thorbjorn Jagland, who was on his way to Oslo where he was to slip into his other role as chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize committee. And it is really a providential coincidence that this worldwide distinction for 2012 was awarded to the European Union, the day after the World Forum for Democracy came to an end.
Naturally, one must not confuse “European Union” with “Council of Europe” but both organisations are anchored in the war-torn history of the same continent and have made every effort to create guiding lights to prevent it once again being torn into shreds by fratricidal wars. They have done so with their fair share of major successes, routines, procrastination and, today, a crisis.
The Strasbourg Forum wanted to set out avenues for answers to be found by deploying its efforts around the theme of “Democracy: between old models and new realities”. Was it successful? It is difficult to measure the impact that such an international mix of experienced players can have. Two hundred experts from five continents and 1,500 participants from 120 countries who exchange ideas and experience during 80 hours of debates over four days - that is quite something, not to mention the informal discussions that are, fortunately, inevitable during such large demonstrations. Intellectually at any rate, the event was stimulating, and Jean-Louis Laurens, who has been out of work since Friday, said how pleased he was to see it “end with fireworks”. The round-tables, that one was fortunate enough to attend, were all rich in information and efficiently conducted, which was not such an obvious thing given the five-member panels engaged in three-hour-long discussions.
There was no beating about the bush - the tone was direct and at times showed a mood that is not so usual in these often formatted gatherings. Such was the case when Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada and President for the World Movement for Democracy, imposed a few minutes of stretching on the public and on speakers before tackling the second part of the debate. The sign of another culture. There were other women apart from Kim Campbell there too. In fact there were many of them and one contribution that sticks in our minds is that of Alimata Diara of Mali, a lawyer for the Malian association of human rights, whose address highlighted the gap that exists between these large meetings - in this case anything but empty - and the reality of countries who are prey to all that is foul. At the closing ceremony, it was a gloomy picture of democracy given by the intellectual human rights defender and writer from Egypt, Nawal El Saadawi, who won the North South Prize at the age of 81. Her final words, before the standing ovation that greeted them, were (our translation): “When you say 'democracy' in our region it creates an allergic reaction”. With those words, she illustrated how much the western model is questioned in the world. She seemed to say this is because of the double language spoken for decades, a cynical balance between Real Politik and irreproachable ideals. In her view, “democracy is a way of life”, which is learned from birth in families where the men respect the women - which is far from being the norm, including in the West, she slammed. That way of life, she went on, is given structure with schooling and then enters the economy. The US elections are not free elections, she said, adding “they are confiscated by the economy and money”. Regarding religion, she does not criticise the government, whether it is in her country under the Muslim Brotherhood, or in Europe which “is still dominated by the Christian religion”, or in the United States faced with other forms of religious fundamentalism, or in Israel. The road to democracy is long and it is all the more difficult to stay the course as it is tempting to backpedal, the Egyptian said. However, she went on to point out that, despite everything, she is “extremely encouraged” by her presence in Strasbourg. “The price I have had to pay to be invited to speak here one day has been extremely hefty but, you have to know, there is no democracy without a heavy price to pay”.
A Davos for Democracy - not accomplished (as yet).
One can only hope that this first edition of the World Forum for Democracy will be followed by others. Its organisers have always said they are resolved to make it an annual event and to thus create, in Strasbourg, a Davos for Democracy. The idea is not devoid of all sense in a town that is symbolic of Franco-German reconciliation and where the European Court of Human Rights has its seat, but its relevance does not seem to have struck the French government. There was still anger in the corridors of the Council of Europe this week. Not only has the French state only paid one third of the €600,000 that had been promised to the project, but President François Hollande was absent on Monday during the opening ceremony attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The absence of the leader of the host state most certainly poured cold water on any enthusiasm shown by some of Hollande's compatriots to make the trip to Strasbourg, some observers say. Their arrival would have given a little sparkle to a town that is seeking to strengthen its status as the seat of the European Parliament, something that is increasingly disputed but which attracts a great number of journalists. There were only about one hundred official recognitions of a premier that deserved far more. (VL/transl.jl)