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European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) has chosen its theme for 2012. As it did last year, this year the week will focus on "Human rights for more inclusive local governments."
The event, which will take place 15 to 21 October, is held annually in Europe, and involves local governments in the Member States of the Council of Europe simultaneously organizing public initiatives and activities aimed at involving citizens in local issues and fostering and strengthening democratic participation at a local level. This initiative also encourages municipalities to create programmes and activities aimed at participation in local life by vulnerable groups, improving intergenerational dialogue and guaranteeing high quality public services. Another aim is to raise the public profile of the Council of Europe, an organization that has become an institutional benchmark in the field of democracy and human rights.
The event is coordinated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and is aimed mainly at the municipalities, provinces and regions of its Member States.
Meanwhile, the UCLG´s Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights welcomes the ELDW´s promotion of safeguards for human rights at a local level for the second consecutive year, and calls on cities in the UCLG to sign the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City and the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City.
For further information, please consult the official page of the event:
In English: http://www.coe.int/t/congress/demoweek/default_EN.asp