New ELDW communication products available online
A new leaflet and a new range of posters are now available for downloading online. Leaflets present the 2010 ELDW and available in English and French. Posters are available in different format and can be customised according to the dates and place where the event takes place. Additional language versions can be provided at short notice by the ELDW operational team at democracy.week@coe.int .

Focus on ''climate change and sustainable communities'' for this year’s European Local Democracy Week
''After the Copenhagen Summit it became evident that climate change is an issue to be tackled at local level. This is a real test for local politics and a way of making citizens aware of concrete problems”, said Cllr. Keith Whitmore (UK, ILDG) Political Co-ordinator of the ELDW and President of the Congress Institutional Committee, during a co-ordination meeting for the 2010 edition of the European Local Democracy Week, which was organised by the Congress, on 2 March in Strasbourg. “Climate change involves many other aspects of local policies. The Week will be an opportunity to demonstrate how towns and cities can succeed in solving environmental problems and gradually transform into sustainable communities”, Keith Whitmore stated, commenting the choice of “the impact of sustainable communities to fight climate change”, as leading theme, which can be taken up by the municipalities participating in this year edition of the Week. (more ...)

Gunther Krug: “Citizens participation is a lasting key to innovation”

“Involving the local population in decision-making is a sure way of tapping into their great potential for innovative ideas”, stated Congress Vice-President Gunther Krug (Germany, SOC) addressing the European Summit of Local Governments, in Barcelona, Spain, on 23 February. “The Congress’ own innovation in this field is the European Local Democracy Week, an annual event which gives an opportunity for local authorities and community residents to meet together, engage people in decision-making and affirm their commitment to community affairs and local democracy”, continued Krug, inviting municipalities to join this year’s edition of the Week.

Congress and EU-Committee of the Regions join their forces for Local Democracy Week
Congress President a.i. Ian Micallef welcomed the decision of the European Union's Committee of the Regions to join the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), the Council's programme of events to raise awareness for grassroots policies in Europe. 'This agreement is an important step for the further strengthening of the ELDW. The committment of the Committee of the Regions, our partner organisation in the EU, will contribute to make this concept one of the major events on the calendar of the 47 Council of Europe member states', concluded the political co-ordinator of the Local Democracy Week, Keith Whitmore, on the fringes of discussions about the ELDW during the Utrecht Ministerial Conference.