International Democracy Day Brussels 2022

14 September 2022 - 16 September 2022

16:00 CEST

Brussels and online

The European Endowment for Democracy (EED), European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP) and Carnegie Europe are proud to organize the 2022 edition of the International Democracy Day Brussels conference.

The event will take place at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels and online, with the support of the European Parliament and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

An exciting line-up of leaders, experts and practitioners will discuss the challenges that recent geopolitical events pose for democratic development worldwide. This includes a 15 September session on 'EU Presidencies and the EU External Democracy Agenda: Seizing Momentum for Democratic Change' hosted by International IDEA.

Session : EU Presidencies and the EU External Democracy Agenda:

Seizing Momentum for Democratic Change

15 September, 11:45–13:00

European Committee of the Regions, rue Belliard 99/101, 1040 Brussels

The EU and its Member States are the biggest providers of democracy aid in the world. In the face of the war on Ukraine and democratic backsliding in countries across the world, EU’s external democracy agenda has become more crucial than ever.

The EU through its policy and instruments designed to support democracy and democratisation processes across the world, as well as to strengthen the resilience of democracy and democratic institutions internally, has to reflect on the increasing challenges to democracy in the era of geopolitics. With the current and following Presidencies of the Council of the EU – the Czech Republic and Sweden, these issues will be taken to the forefront of the EU agenda.

How are democracy priorities shifting to fit the rapidly changing context? How to innovate the policies to address the challenges of democratic backsliding ? How do EU policies align with priorities from EU Member States?

This session aims at gathering insights on the EU democracy agenda 2022 and 2023 and recommendations from the Brussels democracy community and stakeholders for shaping future agendas. Active engagement of participants in the session is warmly encouraged.

This session is part of International Democracy Day Brussels, a joint event organized by the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP), European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), and Carnegie Europe. The full conference programme can be consulted on <www.idd-brussels.eu>.

SPEAKERS

Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin

Sweden’s Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law

Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin is Sweden’s Ambassador for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law in the since August 2021. She joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1993 and has served as ambassador in Vilnius and at the embassy in Tokyo. In the Ministry in Stockholm she served, inter alia, as Head of the Department of Asia and the Pacific and as Ambassador for AntiTerrorism. She also served in the Prime Minister’s Office as Deputy Secretary General for the Stockholm International Forum – Preventing Genocide. Cecilia has also served in the United Nations, as Chief of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Cecilia holds a PhD in history from Lund University and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University. Her academic publications focused on human rights and refugee studies.

David Červenka

Director of the Human Rights and Transition Policy Department, Czech Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Mr Červenka holds a Master’s Degree in international relations from the University of Economics, Prague. After having completed a postgraduate program at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna and various internships in private sector as well as international organizations, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in 2001. Throughout his career he focused on multilateral and European issues. He held managerial positions at headquarters as well as abroad. His foreign assignments included Brussels and New York. After his return to Prague, he took a position of the Deputy Director for Human Rights and Transition Policy Department. Since May 2015 he served as its Director.

Neal Mac Call

Head of Division Democracy and Electoral Observation, European External Action Service

Mr Neal Mac Call, an Irish citizen born in 1969, has been an EU official since 1995.

Following studies in International Relations in the UK with an MA (Hons) in 1992, he obtained a postgraduate degree in European Political Studies in Belgium in 1993. During his career at the European Commission and then the External Action Service he served, among other, as desk officer on the aerospace industry (Enterprise DG); coordinator for the European Commission's participation in the G8 process (Secretariat General); assistant to the Deputy Director General (External Relations DG); desk officer in the Mercosur Countries division (EEAS); Deputy Head of Division for regional policies for the Southern Mediterranean (EEAS); Deputy Head of Division for Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific; and Head of Division for Israel, occupied Palestinian territory and Middle East peace process (EEAS). As of September 2022 he is the Head of Division for Democracy and Electoral Observation in the EEAS.

Married, with three children, Mr Mac Call is fluent in English, French and Italian and has a good level of Spanish.