TOWARDS A "COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES"

Statement of Conference Organizers

Democracy has stood the test of time and has come to be recognized by peoples across regions and cultures as the form of governance that best meets their aspirations. The democratic movement now sweeping the world arose after the Second World War, as many nations asserted their freedom and independence from colonial rule. This movement surged forward again with the Portuguese peaceful revolution of 1974, the return to civilian, democratic rule in Central and South America, the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and the end of the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa. Over the past decade democracy and freedom have flourished around the world. In no other period of history have so many former prisoners of conscience -- Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel, Nelson Mandela and Kim Dae-jung, democratic activists all -- risen through popular vote to the highest levels of power.

History teaches us that democratic progress is not restricted to a narrow group of countries or civilizations. And yet progress toward democracy is not inevitable; it is an ongoing process, not an end-state, requiring continuous effort and imagination. Today the worldwide democratic movement must keep pace with rapid global economic change. Democracies young and old must overcome obstacles to sustainable development and economic growth; resolve racial, ethnic and religious divisions; resist corrosive crime and corruption; and foster a culture of citizenship that instills individuals with the knowledge and skills to assert their rights, embrace their responsibilities and participate effectively in public life.

Cooperation among democratic peoples and governments committed to advancing democracy is essential to creating a favorable international environment for development in which democracy can flourish. The United Nations (especially the U.N. Human Rights Commission) and organizations such as the European Union, Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of American States, and the Organization of African Unity have done much to sustain and strengthen democratic practices around the world. The U.N.- sponsored International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, the World Movement for Democracy, and the Emerging Democracies Forum have also contributed to this essential effort.

But there has never been a dialogue among governments dedicated to exploring together how democracies might better strengthen democratic institutions and processes. The time has come to convene a meeting of the foreign ministers of all countries committed to pursuing a democratic path with the goal of fortifying democratic governance. Too often, when democratic leaders meet it is to contend with immediate crises or bilateral issues; bilateral issues will not be raised at this forum. A worldwide gathering of the full range of countries that have taken the democratic path would provide an unprecedented opportunity for exchanging experiences, identifying best practices, and formulating an agenda for international cooperation in order to realize democracy's full potential.

The government of Poland has agreed to host such a ministerial meeting June 25-27, 2000, in Warsaw. The governments of the Czech Republic, Chile, India, the Republic of Korea, Mali and the United States have agreed to join Poland as co-conveners of the meeting. Concurrent with the ministerial meeting, a number of distinguished thinkers and path-breaking promoters of democracy from around the world will gather in Warsaw to discuss complementary issues and ideas. These representatives of intellectual life and civil society will contribute their enormous knowledge and expertise to the ministerial sessions, presenting their ideas as to how governments and citizens can work together to strengthen and preserve democracy.