The Congress has completed a series of three online thematic workshops designed to support Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in their efforts to transform the local self-government system for a future democratic Belarus. The training programme was specifically dedicated to the Personnel Reserve for a New Belarus, a group of professionals intended to play a key role in the country’s future public administration system.

The workshop series, organised in response to a request from the Belarusian democratic forces, focused on providing the necessary tools and conceptual frameworks to implement multilevel governance, local democracy, and human rights.

The series opened on 2 December 2025 with a session on “Concepts and models of local self-government and pathways for transitioning to a democratic system”. This workshop defined the key principles enshrined in the European Charter of Local Self-Government and explored various transition stages. In his opening speech, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori underlined that “local democracy is the cornerstone of a country’s democratic system and resilience” and recognised the importance of the work and commitment of the Belarusian democratic forces towards a free, democratic Belarus.

The second workshop, held on 17 December, delved into “Democratic participation and use of e-democracy tools”. Recognising the specific needs of Belarusians living in exile, it served to present models of democratic participation with a specific focus on e-democracy and the use of deliberative democracy mechanisms to decide on complex issues.

The final session on 18 December focused on “The 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance of the Council of Europe”. Participants were introduced to practical toolkits, including the European Label of Governance Excellence. The workshop offered practical insights into how to the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance can support institutional development and democratic reforms.

Through these initiatives, the Congress reaffirms its commitment to assisting Belarusian democratic forces in building a governance system for a new Belarus that reinforces the rule of law and protects human rights at the local level.