During its 33rd session, on 20 October, the Congress adopted a resolution on 10 years of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW). “The ELDW represents added value when promoting and building local democracy,” said Marc COOLS (Belgium, ILDG).
The draft resolution envisages setting up a reflection group tasked with taking the European Local Democracy Week initiative forward to a new dimension, by rethinking its concept and timetable. Marc COOLS pointed out that over the past ten years, this Congress initiative had become a pan-European event, involving over 1,000 local authorities and their associations in the 47 Council of Europe member states. He spoke of “the potential for further developing the Week in the best interests of the local authorities and associations involved and, beyond that, all our fellow citizens.”
José Manuel RIBEIRO, Mayor of the municipality of Valongo, Portugal, made a statement in which he stressed the need to pay particular attention to participation and transparency, both of which were central to a healthy, effective democracy.
The Mayor of Fastiv, Ukraine, Mikhailo NETIAZHUK, who has twice celebrated ELDW in his town, shared his experience. “All the participants were highly motivated in favour of change, it was a project involving the whole city,” he concluded.
Through this resolution, the Congress has reiterated its commitment to promoting the ELDW initiative and to broadening it to include the Council of Europe neighbouring regions.
Speech by José Manuel PEREIRA RIBEIRO
Interviews
