World Forum on Democracy

Warsaw, June 25-27, 2000

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The first World Forum on Democracy (WFD) took place on June 25-27, 2000 in Warsaw, Poland. Organized by the Stefan Batory Foundation and Freedom House, a nonprofit U.S. organization, the Forum gathered over 300 influential democratic activists, current and former political leaders, academics and NGO representatives from 85 countries.

The WFD convened parallel to the first Community of Democracies ministerial meeting. Foreign ministers from 106 democratic and democratizing countries gathered in Warsaw to discuss ways to build upon the global expansion of political and civic freedoms. Joint events provided unique opportunities for civil society and NGO leaders to present their causes and concerns to government officials.

After-conference documents:

• Statement of the First World Forum on Democracy to the Warsaw Meeting of Foreign Ministers
• Statement on Chechnya to the Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Community of Democracies
• List of attendees
• Conference program

Speeches by:

• Mr. Jerzy Buzek, Prime Minister of Poland
• Mr. George Soros, Chairman of Open Society Institute
• Mr. Bronisław Geremek, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland
• Ms. Madeleine K. Albright, US Secretary of State
• Mr. Aleksander Smolar, Chairman of the Board, Stefan Batory Foundation
• Latin American humble contribution for the construction of democracy in East Europe by Raul Alfonsin
• Culture, power, and closed societies by Mahnaz Afkhami

Summaries:

• Remarks of Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations
• Plenary discussion "Democracy and dealing with an authoritarian past"
• Plenary discussion "National sovereignty, humanitarian intervention and democracy"
• Plenary session "Threats to democracy and international responses"
• Opening and Keynote remarks
• Panel discussion "Human Rights and the Right to Democracy in International Relations"

Photos from the conference

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