On 28-30 April 2025, 25 representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, as well as experts and Congress members met in Strasbourg for the second edition of the workshop “Leaders for change: promoting democracy and human rights at local level”. Through an interactive programme combining learning experiences and peer exchanges, participants discussed topical issues related to good governance, local democracy, and human rights at local level.

Opening the workshop, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori highlighted the fundamental role of local self-government in any thriving democracy. “We firmly believe that preparing the ground for local self-government and democracy is an essential and meticulous work that lays the foundation for a stable, democratic, future Belarus,” he said. Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD), Congress Vice-President and Bureau Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus, stressed that “embedding a human rights approach at the local level from the very beginning of any transition is essential for building a sustainable and legitimate democracy.”

The participants delved into the core principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government and its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority. The workshop also encouraged reflection on designing an effective local governance system tailored for Belarus's future. Discussions covered the roles and responsibilities of local authorities in promoting citizen participation, building public trust, and upholding democratic values and standards at the local level.

This activity was organised as part of the Council of Europe Contact Group on co-operation with representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society and within the project “Leading the change for democracy and human rights at local level with Belarusian democratic forces”, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.