The Congress will organise, in the framework of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities, on 12 and 13 September in Strasbourg, under the theme “building together a stronger local and regional democracy.”
The Conference will bring together around 110 national associations from all over Europe to share their ideas about the role and the future of local and regional authorities and local democracy in Europe, against the background of the many challenges faced by our continent today. Moreover, the war of aggression against Ukraine being at the centre of the Council of Europe priorities, the Conference will highlight the initiatives of Ukrainian local and regional authorities as well as the Congress cooperation activities in Ukraine.
In May 2023, the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik reaffirmed the role of local and regional authorities as in delivering democracy, human rights and the rule of law at the grassroot level. In the light of the Summit, the Congress will pursue its work to promote youth participation in public life, and Congress Youth Delegates will actively contribute to the Conference.
At the end of the event, national associations will sign a joint declaration to reaffirm their commitment to the standards and values of the Council of Europe and to give their co-operation a renewed momentum, for the benefit of their citizens and communities.
