In October ALDA’s network at the core of the European debate on democracy and development

In October ALDA is part of all the most important events promoted by European Commission, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions, Council of Europe and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. “In the next weeks, in Strasbourg and Brussels, we will have the opportunity to emphasise the role of ALDA in the promotion of fundamental democratic and European values, which still represent a challenge to the EU countries as well as those on the path to EU or those in the close European neighborhood” said Alda President, Mr. Oriano Otočan.

Organised by the Council of Europe, the first World Forum for Democracy will take place in Strasbourg from 5 to 11 of October 2012.
ALDA President, Mr. Oriano Otočan, will be panelist at the Democracy round table on “Regionalisation and democracy” (10th October, 5 to 7pm), and ALDA Director, Mrs. Antonella Valmorbida, will be panelist at two conference events: the round table on “The Challenges of citizen participation in Europe: Citizens’ Initiative and European elections 2014”, within the Club of Strasbourg events, (9 October, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm),
and the conference on “Contribution of women to the advancement of democracy” (9
October, 6 pm). ALDA will also attend the Civil society debate organised by
the Conference of INGOs (7 October, 9:30 am to 5:30pm).

In the framework of the “Open Days”, European Week of Regions and Cities (Brussels 8 – 11 October) ALDA President, Mr. Oriano Otočan, will be panelist at a multilevel political round table on “Towards EU 28: The perspectives of Croatian Accession to the EU for the future of EU integration process and regional co-operation” table (9 October 2012, 09.00 – 12.30, at European Parliament building). Mr. Dobrica Milovanovic, member of the Governing Board, will also present its experience from the Serbian point of view.

ALDA will also promote two events as part of the 2012 edition of the ELDW, European Local Democracy Week an initiative coordinated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe..
A Seminar on Local Self Government that will take place in Braslaw, Belarus, on the 27 October, in the framework of project TANDEM, and an international conference and an “International Citizenship Fair”, that will take place in Malta (29 – 31 October), as final event of the project TIC TAC.

ALDA is organising an event included, by the European Commission, in the official programme of the next European Development Days (Brussels, 16 – 17 October ). It will be a WTD project creative laboratory, conceived as a learning café session, aiming at brainstorming and proposing recommendations integrating the contributions of experts and practitioners on the advantages of creating real synergies between LAs and CSOs in development cooperation.

ALDA President, Mr. Oriano Otočan, will have a speech during the 23rd Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, taking place from 16 to 18 October 2012 in Strasbourg.

Finally, ALDA will take advantage of these important Europeans events to think also about its future strategies. In fact, a meeting of the members of the Association will be held in Brussels on 16 October (11:00 to 13:00, ALDA offices in Brussels) and a meeting of the Governing Board will be held in Strasbourg on 17 October. The Governing Board will discuss in particular on strategies for the next three years, to propose solutions and new forms of actions to problems that are facing local authorities and civil society in Europe, in the acceeding countries to the EU and the Neighbouring countries.