NDI - Ethiopia

Albright Reaffirms Need to Work at Preserving 'Gift of Freedom'

fgalleto — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:38:42 +0000

The fragility of freedom and how to preserve it was one of the themes explored at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies (CoD), a global coalition of democratic countries, meeting July 2-4 in Krakow, Poland.

NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright, who as U.S. secretary of state was an initiator of the organization along with the late Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, returned to Poland for the gathering. In 2000 in Warsaw, ministerial delegations from 106 countries signed a declaration, "Toward the Community of Democracies," with the aim of demonstrating methods of support to countries striving for democracy and freedom.

The Krakow meeting was attended by 80 official delegations from around the world, including 40 at the ministerial level, as well as 200 civil society activists from Burma, Zimbabwe, China, Russia and Cuba, among other places. Also attending were parliamentarians from Europe, Africa and North America who are participants in the community's Parliamentary Forum, which was launched last March at the initiative of Lithuania, which currently holds the CoD chairmanship.

New Technologies Create Opportunities, Risks in Democracy Support

In the decade since the founding of the Community of Democracies, a major change has been the explosion of technology and the tools it has created, both for those supporting the free flow of ideas and other democratic values and for authoritarian states interested in the opposite, curtailing information and suppressing human rights. Speaking on a panel in Krakow, NDI's chief technology officer, Chris Spence, explored the role of technology in democratic development and the risks its use poses in closed societies.

"Our view is that technologies are clearly a net positive for democracy...because of the important role [they] can play in consolidating democracy in fragile and transitional democratic states," he said.

The Krakow meeting focused on challenges to democracy and, specifically, how to overcome obstacles in the path of building civil society in the contemporary world. The CoD is developing a global democracy work plan focusing on such areas as civil society protections; gender equality and women's rights; poverty, development and democracy; promoting democracy and responding to national and transnational threats; and regional cooperation.

Albright attributed the success of the first gathering in 2000 to Geremek, who died in 2008 and for whom a democracy award has now been named. "In his welcoming remarks," she said, "he declared that 'the emergence of democracy was the most important development of the 20th century.' But he also reminded us that the gift of freedom was never fully safe – because from one direction or another, the principles of freedom will always be opposed. He argued, therefore, that those who are blessed to live in a democracy have an obligation to repay that blessing by upholding free institutions and by teaching, protecting, and cherishing democratic values."

Albright presented the Geremek Award to Father José Conrado Rodriguez of Cuba, a minister in the impoverished city of Santiago de Cuba. Father José, she said, "reminds us that democracy – at its best – is more than just another system of government... Democracy is grounded in a belief that the legitimate power of governance comes not from the barrel of a gun, or from the means to arrest and to brutalize prisoners, or from the capacity to punish those who dare to voice their discontent. Power, to be legitimate, must come from the people."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who delivered a keynote address, noted "three essential elements of a free nation – representative government, a well-functioning market and civil society – that work like three legs of a stool." But "walls are closing in" on civic organizations in an increasing number of countries, she said, citing Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Russia, China and Egypt. "Over the last six years, 50 governments have issued new restrictions against NGOs, and the list of countries where civil society faces resistance is growing longer."

"An attack on civic activism and civil society is an attack on democracy," she said. "...it doesn't matter whether the goal is better laws or lower crime or cleaner air or social justice or consumer protection or entrepreneurship and innovation, societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good."

The next ministerial level meeting will take place in 2011 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Related:

Pictured above: Lech Walesa and Madeleine Albright greet each other at the 10th anniversary meeting of the Community of Democracies. Photo courtesy of Pavol Demes.

Published on July 16, 2010

Statement by the International Republican Institute (IRI), IFES and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) on Expulsion of thei

vrao — Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute IFES

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/01/2005

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	83.69 KB

NDI Reports: A Review of the Activities of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

vrao — Mon, 21 Jul 2003 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2008

Resource Type:

Newsletter

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Spring 2011: Digital Mapping, Women's Participation, Domestic Monitoring	1.2 MB
December 2008: Making Democracy Deliver	2.37 MB
Summer 2008: Kosovo, Pakistan, Sudan	571.9 KB
Summer 2007: Youth, Women, Technology	801.33 KB
Summer 2006: Bosnia, Liberia, West Bank and Gaza	462.92 KB
Fall 2005: Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait	865.42 KB
Spring 2005: Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan	813.77 KB
Spring 2004: Win With Women, Elections in Eurasia	615.17 KB
Fall 2003: Celebrating 20 Years	808.11 KB
Spring 2003: Women's Leadership in Yemen, Nepal, Senegal	468.06 KB
Fall 2002: Democracy in the Middle East, Cuba	547.6 KB
Spring 2002: Asian Political Parties, Afghanistan	528.32 KB
Winter 2001: Sept. 11, Nicaragua, Belarus	507.47 KB
Summer 2001: Election Monitors in Central & Eastern Europe	683 KB
Spring 2001: Mexico, Peru, Serbia	732.14 KB
Winter 2000: Zimbabwe, Croatia, Thailand	2.52 MB
Winter 1999: Indonesia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan	3.23 MB
Fall 1999: Nigeria, Indonesia, Morocco	1.29 MB
Winter 1998: Kenya, Poland, Northern Ireland	2.26 MB
Summer 1998: Hong Kong, Ukraine, Ghana	2.01 MB
Winter 1997: Nicaragua, South Africa, Ghana	2.93 MB
Summer 1996: Russia, International Leaders Forum	2.98 MB
Spring 1996: West Bank Gaza, Bosnia, Burundi	2.4 MB
Winter 1995: West Bank Gaza, Ukraine, Malawi	3.28 MB
Fall 1995: South Africa, Russia, Yemen	2.22 MB
Summer 1995: Haiti, Peru, Malawi	2.68 MB
Spring 1994: South Africa, Mexico, Ethiopia	3.43 MB
Summer 1993: Russia, Namibia, Nicaragua	3.52 MB
Spring 1993: Cambodia, South Africa, Yemen	3.71 MB
Spring 1992: Romania, South Africa, Bolivia	1.99 MB
Winter 1991: Zambia, Poland, the Baltics	2.05 MB
Summer 1991: Zambia, Mexico, Bangladesh	1.26 MB
Spring 1991: Namibia, Russia, Senegal	1.36 MB
Winter 1990: Poland, Namibia, Bangladesh	1.33 MB
Fall 1990: Former Soviet Republics, Haiti, Bulgaria	2.07 MB
Summer 1990: Eastern Europe, Dominican Republic, Haiti	2.7 MB
Spring 1990: Hungary, Nicaragua, Panama	1.3 MB
Winter 1989: Pakistan, Argentina, Chile	1.59 MB
Fall 1988: Chile, Pakistan, Nicaragua	1.26 MB
Summer 1988: Costa Rica, Panama, Chile	1.61 MB
Spring 1988: Tunisia, Chile, Paraguay	1.28 MB
Winter 1987: Haiti, Chile, Nicaragua	1.84 MB
Fall 1987: Haiti, Uruguay, Nicaragua	1.43 MB
Spring 1987: Argentina, Philippines, Haiti	1.22 MB
Spring 1986: Philippines, Brazil, Northern Ireland	2.26 MB
Summer 1986: Chile, South Korea, Northern Ireland	2.92 MB
Winter 1986: Mondale Assumes Chairmanship, Argentina, Haiti	3.96 MB
Summer 1985: Senegal, Northern Ireland, South America	1.15 MB

Civic Updates

vrao — Wed, 21 Feb 2001 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/01/2010

Resource Type:

Civic Update

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Issue 35: GOTV, Voter Information & Voter Education (Jan. '11)	1.04 MB
Issue 34: Structuring and Maintaining Partnerships (Sept. '10)	306.87 KB
Issue 33: Political Process Monitoring (May '10)	419.89 KB
Issue 32: Defending Space for Citizen Participation (Aug. '09)	204.87 KB
Issue 31: Best Practices for Meaningful Citizen Engagement (April '09)	540.61 KB
Issue 30: Context Matters (Jan. '09)	311.87 KB
Issue 29: Voice, Space and Accountability (Aug. '08)	869.11 KB
Issue 28: Communications Tools (May '08)	207.88 KB
Issue 27: Using Information and Communications Techonologies (Jan. '08)	486.89 KB
Issue 26: Working with Marginalized Populations (Sept. '07)	283.24 KB
Issue 25: Ten Years of Civic Updates (July '07)	258.56 KB
Issue 24: Making Democracy Deliver (Feb. '07)	413.86 KB
Issue 23: Positive Partnerships with Local Groups (May '06)	268.06 KB
Issue 22: Political Activism for People with Disablities (Dec. '05)	458.7 KB
Issue 21: Local Fundraising and Volunteer Recruitment (July '05)	221.65 KB
Issue 20: Tips from NDI Practioners (April '05)	561.26 KB
Issue 19: Get Out The Vote (Dec. '04)	496.75 KB
Issue 18: Involving Youth in the Political Process (July '04)	277.27 KB
Issue 17: Monitoring as a Driver of Change (Feb. '04)	488.58 KB
Issue 16: Citizen Surveys and Other Organizing Tools (Nov. '03)	546.03 KB
Issue 15: Making University Connections (Aug. '03)	579.18 KB
Issue 14: Focus Groups (May '03)	334.74 KB
Issue 13: Civic Forum (Nov. '02)	279.56 KB
Issue 12: Coalition Building (Jan. '02)	195.45 KB
Issue 11: Assessment Methods (Aug. '01)	84.74 KB
Issue 10: Partnership Approaches (April '01)	109.87 KB
Issue 9: What's Voting All About? (Oct. '99)	82.5 KB
Issue 8: Global Seminar on Advocacy and Democracy Development (June '99)	481.85 KB
Issue 7: How Civic Programs Increase Women's Participation in Processes (Dec. '98)	962.34 KB
Issue 6: Post-Conflict and Ethnic Divided Societies (July '98)	120.75 KB
Issue 5: Assessing Programs (March '98)	81.99 KB
Issue 4: Training (Nov. '97)	98.85 KB
Issue 3: Resources and Communication (July '97)	74.43 KB
Issue 2: Advocacy (April '97)	94.31 KB
Issue 1: Program Highlights from Around the World (Feb. '97)	121.71 KB

Ethiopa: Civil Society Development, March 1, 1997-June 3, 1998

vrao — Fri, 12 Jan 2001 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/03/1998

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	31.92 KB

Trainers' Manual on the Constitution of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, December 1997

vrao — Fri, 12 Jan 2001 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/31/1997

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the manual	186.04 KB

Ethiopia Focus Group Survey, February 19-26, 1994

vrao — Wed, 27 Dec 2000 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

02/19/1994

Resource Type:

Focus Group

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	3.73 MB

Ethiopia: An Evaluation of the June 21, 1992 Elections

vrao — Wed, 27 Dec 2000 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, African-American Institute

Publisher:

Penn, Shoen and Berland Associates, Inc.

Published Date:

06/21/1992

Resource Type:

Evaluation

Language:

English

Read the report in English here.

Attachment	Size
068_et_evaluation_1_1_33.pdf	2.36 MB