Global Forum on Democracy at the University of Bucharest: 4 days, 72 debates, 200 speakers and hundreds of participants from across the globe

Between May 15^th – 18^th 2024, the University of Bucharest will host the 2024 edition of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy. The event is co-organized in partnership with Europuls – Centre for European Expertise, with the Swiss NGO Democracy International, Swiss Democracy Foundation, as well as  Bucharest City Hall.

Participation at the forum is free, but it is conditioned by prior registration here, where interested persons can select the events, debates or workshops they wish to attend.

The event has the patronage of the European Parliament, the European Commission and Belgian Presidency of the EU Council and will reunite, in Bucharest, a diverse global community of activists, decision-makers and experts who will approach, during electoral debates as well as parallel sessions, multiple themes concerning the level of trust in democracy and pressing problems concerning direct rights of democratic and civic participation. The forum will offer participants the opportunity to become informed about the democratic landscape of the region and to gather insight into the political history of Bucharest and Romania.

Among invited speakers to the 2024 edition of the Forum are H. E. John Cornet d’Elzius – Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Romania, H. E. Ilhor Prokopchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine in Romania, H. E. Victor Chirilă – Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova in Romania, H. E. Massimo Baggi – Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Romania, Corina Crețu, European Parliament member and former European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Roxana Mînzatu – State Secretary, Prime Minister Chancellery, the Government of Romania, Ovidiu Câmpean – State Secretary, Minister of Investments and European Projects. In addition, professor Marian Preda, the Rector of the University of Bucharest, will also hold a speech during the event.

The central theme of the Global Forum on Democracy will concentrate on the concept of trust in democracy. Several key-subjects will be under debate, such as youths’ participation in the decisional process, direct democracy and participating to EU decisions, the connection between mass-media and democracy, trust in political representatives, institutions and mass media or the implications of the war in Ukraine and its consequences on Romania, Moldova, the Black Sea Region.

The list of speakers is completed by Radu Mihaiu –  Mayor of Sector 2, Bucharest, Corina Ene – Mayor of Căbești, Daniela Vidaicu, Executive Director of the Soros Moldova Foundation, Raimar Wagner – Project Coordinator, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Romania, Vladislav Cociu – Mayor of Ștefan Vodă, the Republic of Moldova, Ion Dogalniuc – Mayor of Colibași, Cahul Municipality, the Republic of Moldova, Liliana Palihovici – President of the Virtutes Civilis Moldova Institute, Mihail Sirkeli – Executive Director of Piligrim-Demo, Vitalie Cojocari – Euronews journalist, Cristian Pantazi – chief-editor of G4Media, Ionuț Adrian Foltea – Times New Roman editor,  Lucian Mîndruță and Dragoș Anastasiu.

In addition, between May 13^th – 15^th 2024, participants are invited to three optional tours: a historical tour of Bucharest, an experience exchange and a tour of the Youths’ Capital of Romania 2024 – the city of Ploiești, and a study visit to EFdeN – where they will visit EFdeN solar houses.

The full program of the event is available here.

On the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

The Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, which has been organized on 5 continents ever since 2008, will reunite in Bucharest a global, diverse community of activists, decision-makers and experts who will approach significant international programs, these being strongly connected to the direct rights of democratic and civic participation. The event puts a particular focus on the challenges that democracy is facing in Romania, but also on the global phenomena that are constantly shaping the world we live in. The objective of the Forum is to provide participants with the necessary knowledge to build a safer future, in which trust remains at the core of democracy. The 2024 edition of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy is organized with the support of Mehr Demokratie, Aqua Carpatica, Friedrich Naumann Foundation For Freedom Romania and Moldova, “Constantin Tănase” Theatre, Swiss Agency For Development and Cooperation SDC, ERSTE Stiftung, Soros Foundation Moldova, Webshop Solutions, The Organization of Women Entrepreneurs OFA UGIR, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Romania.

On the Eurosfat Forum

Eurosfat is the largest annual European Business Forum in Romania. Based on the European values of democracy, civic engagement and open dialogue, the forum represents an opportunity to debate current European, national and regional subjects. In 2022, the Eurosfat Forum won the Charlemagne Youth Prize at national level, an award offered annually by the EU to the best youth initiatives that contribute to bringing the EU closer to citizens. Each of the previous editions hosted over 600 participants, over 50 speakers, 30 sponsors and partners.

On Europuls

Europuls – The Centre for European Expertise is an NGO established in 2010 in Brussels, by a group of Romanian experts in European business. The Europuls’s goal is to promote the European integration process in Romania, but also to contribute to developing the European Public Space. Europuls aims to stimulate public debates on European themes by publishing articles and studies, as well as by organizing debates, workshops, and conferences. Among the participants to these events are European Commissaries, Romanian and foreign members of the European Parliament, representatives of the civil society, experts and journalists who gather to discuss relevant themes within the EU.