“The important role of local and regional authorities in strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law received further recognition at the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik last year, which gave a stronger mandate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities,” underlined Tunç Soyer, President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions, in his keynote speech at the General Assembly of the European Association for Local Democracy-ALDA (Association of Local Democracy Agencies), in Barcelona (Spain) on 13 May 2024.
Addressing the panel on “Local democracy, engaging globally: a European perspective”, he pointed out that this stronger mandate entailed closer partnership and broader synergies with ALDA in promoting citizen participation, youth engagement and good governance at local level. Highlighting the close and strong link between the Congress and ALDA, Mr Soyer recalled that the first Local Democracy Agency opened in Subotica (Serbia) in 1993 as an idea supported by the Congress, and that ALDA was then created in 1999 at the initiative of the Council of Europe to coordinate and support the network of Local Democracy Agencies.
He highlighted the longstanding cooperation between the Congress and ALDA, underpinned by common values of participatory democracy, civic engagement and responsible governance at local level. He also pointed out that country-specific cooperation activities implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, which is now operating at the Congress, represented an additional potential for synergies with ALDA, which took on a particular importance this year that marks the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe, the 30th anniversary of the Congress and the 10th Anniversary of its “Rejuvenating Politics” initiative of engaging Youth Delegates in the Congress work.
