Schools’ Directors meet to discuss Threats to Liberal Democracy
The meeting of Directors of the Schools of Political Studies took place from 30 to 31 March 2015 in Budva, Montenegro, at the invitation of the School. They discussed the current challenges and the future orientations of the Network of the Schools.The welcoming address was given by Mr Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro. Mr Hakan Altinay, Director of the European School of Politics in Istanbul and non–resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, made the introductory remarks on the main topic of debate – ‘Threats to liberal democracy: a challenge to civil society’. This set the scene for a rich exchange of views on the political challenges that the Schools are facing in their respective countries and the possible ways in which the Council of Europe can provide support in addressing them. They also discussed the forthcoming Alumni seminar and their participation in the 2015 World Forum for Democracy.
Following the success of last year’s First International Alumni Seminar which brought together 50 outstanding alumni to explore issues of youth participation in democratic life, it was agreed at the last SPS Directors’ Meeting that such a seminar would be held on an annual basis. The Second International SPS Alumni Seminar will be held in Sarajevo on 25–26 June 2015, in close co–operation with the School of Political Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Echoing last year’s Alumni Seminar approach, the theme this year will be linked to that of the World Forum for Democracy on “Freedom vs control: the democratic response” (Strasbourg, 18–20 November 2015), thereby providing content to inspire debates at the Forum and preparing the Schools’ contribution to this major event. Against this background, the Second International Alumni Seminar will be dedicated to the theme “Defending freedom and human dignity against internal and external threats”.
This set the scene for a rich exchange of views on the political challenges that the Schools are facing in their respective countries and the possible ways in which the Council of Europe can provide support in addressing them. They also discussed the forthcoming Alumni seminar and their participation in the 2015 World Forum for Democracy.
