On 12 and 13 September 2024, the Congress of Native and Regional Authorities hosted a Convention of nationwide associations of native and regional authorities from the 46 member states, on the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg. Organised on the event of the seventy fifth anniversary of the Council of Europe and the thirtieth anniversary of the Congress, beneath the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Convention introduced collectively Presidents and representatives of some 60 nationwide associations from throughout Europe, in addition to Congress Bureau members and Heads of nationwide delegations to the Congress, Congress Youth Delegates and visitor audio system.
Over two days, they engaged in discussions on how native and regional authorities can reply successfully to the challenges going through European democracies, and on their function in supporting Ukraine, stopping democratic backsliding, defending human rights, saving the setting and enabling younger individuals’s involvement in democratic motion, within the mild of the selections of the Council of Europe’s Summit in Reykjavik in Might 2023.
The Convention opened on 12 September by Congress President Marc Cools, Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Inside Arnoldas Abramavičius, Council of Europe Deputy Secretary Common Bjørn Berge and Congress Youth Delegate from Andorra Lisa Cruz Lackner. The opening debate on the function of nationwide associations in strengthening territorial democracy and multilevel governance launched by Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Istanbul and President of the Union of Turkish Municipalities and Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Norwegian Affiliation of Native and Regional Authorities and President of the Council of European Municipalities and Areas (CEMR).
The primary spherical desk will give attention to the “Resilience, reconstruction and reform of Ukraine”, with shows from Vitali Klitschko, President of the Affiliation of Ukrainian Cities and Mayor of Kyiv, and Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko, President of the Ukrainian Affiliation of District and Regional Councils and Chair of the Kharkiv Regional Council, in addition to Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko, Govt Director of the Register of Harm for Ukraine Markyan Kliutchkovsky and Congress Youth Delegate from Ukraine Sofiia Boudanova
The second spherical desk on “Boosting democracy by participating all residents” targeted on combating sexism in politics, guaranteeing the suitable to free, honest and clear elections and selling youth engagement in public life in addition to on methods to foster social inclusion and participatory democracy.
Lastly, the third spherical desk on “Native innovation for stronger native authorities” grew to become the chance to debate new approaches to selling human rights at native stage, bettering web security and responding to cyberbullying, in addition to the usage of AI and digital instruments to handle the combination of migrants and refugees, and native and regional responses to local weather and environmental challenges.
All three spherical tables included an trade with Convention members the place they may share their views and experiences. Because the Congress promotes the participation of youth in public life, Congress Youth Delegates actively contributed to the Convention and shared their perspective on the present state of democracy and proposals for the longer term.
On the shut of the Convention, members adopted a joint declaration to reaffirm their dedication to the Council of Europe’s values and requirements, and to present a renewed momentum to the partnership between the Congress and nationwide associations.