Vaclav Havel: New foundation to push for democracy assistance to be permanent part of EU foreign policy

New democracy foundation will push for democracy assistance to become a permanent part of EU foreign policy European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano joined former Czech President Václav Havel to launch European Foundation for Democracy through Partnership (EFDP) in Brussels on 15 April Brussels, 15 April 2008 - A new European foundation will "assist democracy to flourish in every corner of the world, from Tibet to Cuba, and work to ensure that democracy assistance becomes a permanent part of European Union foreign policy", said former Czech President Václav Havel, speaking at the launch in Brussels today. The European Foundation for Democracy through Partnership (EFDP) is an independent European foundation that aims to contribute to the advancement and strengthening of democracy outside the European Union (EU), and to complement existing EU democracy assistance programmes.

Through advocacy, flexible funding mechanisms, and a knowledge hub for democracy assistance organisations, the new foundation will embrace partnership and dialogue, and "will operate on the premise that effective democratic reform must be home-conceived, home-grown and home-led," said Roel von Meijenfeldt, co-chair of the Board of EFDP.

"The foundation will cooperate with EU institutions, but retain an arm's-length approach to preserve flexibility where the EU encounters diplomatic constraints," said Von Meijenfeldt, who is Executive Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).

Former President Havel, who is Chair of the Council of Patrons of EFDP, said that "democracy is the raison d'être of the EU, and the foundation will bring together representatives from across Europe's political and civil society to increase our involvement in countries where democracy is absent or under threat". Havel continued: "From China and Belarus to Burma and Zimbabwe, Europeans - at the national and EU level - have a duty to support those striving for human rights and civic freedoms everywhere, and to share Europeans' first-hand, and often recent, experiences of overcoming the indignity of censorship and authoritarian rule, and of joining the community of democratic nations."

According to Von Meijenfeldt, "the efforts of European civil society to share their experiences of social justice, democracy and respect for human rights with civil society in Zimbabwe have sustained a spirit of pluralism and hope for democratic change despite the repressive actions of President Robert Mugabe".

Havel was joined at the launch of the foundation by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and by two EFDP patrons, former Vice-President of the European Commission Étienne Davignon, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Bernard Bot. Other EFDP-patrons are the former President of Germany Richard von Weizsäcker, former President of the European Commission, Member of the European Parliament and Minister Jacques Delors, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Uffe Ellemann-Jensen.

On the occasion of the launch, the first Václav Havel Tribune lecture was also delivered today by former President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano. Speaking in the European Parliament he made a strong appeal for more European engagement in building African democracies. The Václav Havel Tribune is a series of lectures inspired by the work of Václav Havel, playwright, former dissident, former president of the Czech Republic and defender of human rights and democracy worldwide. This series will touch upon key topics of today's world in which Europe should play a strong role placing the emphasis on respect for basic rights of an individual and peace and stability brought through democratic principles. It is organised by EFDP and the European Parliament Democracy Caucus.

The EFDP is being launched with the support of 15 European civil society organisations focusing on democracy assistance, and its founding Board of Directors and Council of Patrons will meet in Brussels on 15-16 April. Supporting organisations include among others the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), People in Need Foundation, the Norwegian Center for Democracy, Policy Association for an Open Society (PASOS), DEMO Finland, Pontis Foundation Slovakia, and the Club of Madrid.

For more information and press inquiries, please contact:

Ms Kristina Prunerová,
Programme Manager, EFDP
kristinaprunerova@efdp.eu
Tel: +420 777 787 917
www.efdp.eu