Strasbourg, 07/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - The 3rd World Forum for Democracy, organised by the Council of Europe, which began on Monday evening with a long opening talk by Jeremy Rifkind which prevented the mayor of Strasbourg and president of the Alsace Region from speaking, closed on Wednesday 5 November after two and half days of debate. More than one thousand participants from the five continents of the world, taking part in some 20 labs, debated every aspect of the question in the forum's title, From participation to influence: Can youth revitalise democracy?
Very definitely yes, if the enthusiasm of the young people who travelled to Strasbourg and who were clearly delighted to be there, listening and being listened to, is anything to go by. The Council of Europe seemed regenerated and to connect, in all the meanings of the term, with tomorrow's decision-makers and leaders with their new ways of making sense of the world. While the impression given was one of invigoration, the underlying issue was whether those present were representative of a generation which is recognised as being the furthest removed from politics in the traditional sense of the word. The Council of Europe and its partners - the French state, the Alsace Region and the City of Strasbourg - are to be congratulated on giving young people a framework for discussion and exchange, as it is true that the results of this kind of event are also judged in the long term with the contacts formed.
At the end of the forum, the initiatives judged by the participants in the labs to be the most convincing were presented. “Trees” were set out on which listeners could hang red or green leaves to express their views. “Stork-Heinar-Nonazi.net”, a delightful stork created by a group from Western Pomerania to use humour and mockery to counter the rise of extreme right-wing parties; “Chabab 2012”, a movement of young Moroccans structured like a political party and active in the parliament; “Alsace youth Parliament”, a consultative and reflective body set up by the region and bringing together some 40 members aged between 15 and 28; the “Blue Ribbon Movement”, initiated by a 19-year-old Indian student to try to influence government decisions; -“ Youth Create Change GIZ”, from the Gaza Strip; “Young Democracy Creators”, an initiative backed by the Strasbourg organisation “Apollonia” to address youth unemployment by involving young people in urban artistic programmes that lead to vocational training; and “Generation Democracy”, which won the final vote.
Generation Democracy is a Turkish initiative, part of a programme jointly funded by the European Union and the Turkish National Education Ministry, and is aimed at children and young people in school, providing them with the wherewithal to understand democratic citizenship and human rights. The approach is inclusive, bringing together students, teachers and administrative workers, it was pointed out. The initiative is built on very simple tools, such as a book that sets out the framework for democratic skills, a reconciliation committee, a democracy bureau open to all and a series of inexpensive extracurricular activities. The ultimate aim is to help the young people develop their sense of responsibility, building decision-making on listening and talking to others. And it works, the project promoters argue, highlighting a rise in the young people's self-esteem and respect for others.
The voting was tight, all the initiatives being interesting within the remit set themselves. Generation Democracy used inter-generational links to transmit fundamental rights that are central to all that the Council of Europe stands for. Using education from the earliest age, the Turkish project is aiming at the future in the broadest sense and widens the horizons of a forum, follow-up to which will be assured by the in-depth examination of all the initiatives presented, stated Thorbjorn Jagland, Council of Europe secretary general. The organisation will see which of the initiatives could be rolled out in the 47 member states.
A fourth World Forum for Democracy has already been scheduled for 18-20 November 2015 to extend the richness of the discussions. It will be again be focused on youth, now on the front line, and will look at how to manage common resources, with the young people's own digital tools.
Use them but don't lose your inner self, said Jagland, addressing his young audience, and seeming to echo the comments of Jeremy Rifkind two days earlier. Fascinated by the potential of the changing world, Rifkind highlighted the terrifying questions posed by the Net, including its neutrality. Resolving them will be a real struggle, he warned. (VL)