The University of Bucharest, important presence at the 2024 edition of the Global Forum on Democracy. Event hosted at the UB Faculty of Sociology and Social Work

Between May 15^th – 18^th 2024, the University of Bucharest hosted the 2024 edition of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy.

The event, 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, reunited over 200 speakers and hundreds of participants from across the world, among which teaching staff and specialists of the University of Bucharest.

The central theme of the event was the concept of “trust in democracy”. For four days, several key subjects were debated: the participation of youth to the decisional process, direct democracy and participating to EU decisions, the connection between the media and democracy, trust in political representatives, institutions and the media or the implications of the war in Ukraine and its consequences on Romania, Moldova, the Black Sea region.

Trust in institutions, in the media, and in each other is essential for the functioning of vibrant democracies. It is incumbent upon us to nurture and reinforce this trust through active citizenship, transparent governance, and robust democratic practices. Democracy, with its participatory mechanisms and inclusive governance structures, plays a crucial role in preventing conflicts and fostering enduring peace, is the message the organizers aimed to convey.

UB professors, among the speakers and moderators of the forum panels

On the first day of the forum, on May 15^th 2024, at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, professor Marian Preda, PhD, the Rector of the University of Bucharest, noted that the University of Bucharest, the institution at the “Zero Kilometer” of Romania, the milestone of Romanian democracy, is one the founding institutions of the modern Romanian democratic state.

At the same time, the culture of the University was strong and has remained so, impregnated with solid values such as trust in democracy, truth, freedom, social justice, promoting a civic spirit among its members. Professor Preda also noted the participative role of youth, UB students, to the decisional process at national and European level and the institutional support of their initiatives.

In addition, the University of Bucharest, member of the CIVIS Alliance next to ten other European partner universities, encourage the new generations of students to acquire and become promoters of the values, cultures and European citizenship in an inclusive academic community that promotes educational mobility, civic engagement and research.

Thursday, May 16^th 2024, two other UB representatives, teaching staff of the Faculty of Journalism and Communications Studies, moderated high-impact debates at the event. Thus, associated professor Antonio Momoc, PhD, political communication specialist, moderated a debate on Models of Financing the Press in the Era of Social Media during the panel titled Media Business Models in Times of Social Media, hosted by the UB Faculty of Sociology and Social Work. In the second day of the forum, the panel Independent media, Opportunities and Challenges was moderated by associate professor Romina Surugiu, PhD, Dean of the UB Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies. Along Cristina Lupu, executive director  of the Centre for Independent Journalism, associated professor Romina Surugiu analyzed the situation of media in Romania and the Republic of Moldova in 2024, an electoral year.

UB students also participated at the 72 debates of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, many of them already involved as volunteers in the organization of the event.

Among other speakers invited at the 2024 edition of the forum were 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.

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.

 The six main themes of the forum, on which all debated concentrated were: fundamental trust in democracy; the role of democracy in peace and conflict resolution; European democracy and transnational participation; media, technology, and democracy; the vitality of local democracy; empowering youth participation and the importance of engaging the new generation in the decision making-processes at national and European level.

The full program of the Forum is available here.