The Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Martine Dieschburg (Luxembourg, GILD) spoke on the topic of supporting local democracy, peace and community resilience. "We are currently living in a very special moment, characterised by multiple crises on the European continent and worldwide," she stressed at the opening of the General Assembly of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) on 6 May 2022.
Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia's war against Ukraine, but also to climate change threatening the planet and the increasing polarisation of societies, she stressed that these crises we are facing today bring to the forefront the resilience of our communities, both to prevent the consequences of the crisis, to resist or adapt to them, but also to bounce back quickly after their impact.
The Vice-President recalled that, in the face of these many crises, the work of the Congress, like that of ALDA, in strengthening local democracy and citizen engagement, serves to increase the resilience of cities and regions. She also highlighted the crucial importance of promoting and defending the Council of Europe's democratic values at every level of governance. "The work of our institutions contributes to strengthening the foundations of our democratic societies. This is fundamental because a society built on solid foundations will withstand any crisis," concluded Vice-President Dieschburg.
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