Thursday, 11.05.2017 – Thursday, 11.05.2017
On 11 May 2017, a public event will be held at the University of Zurich as part of the Democracy Without Borders initiative. The topic for discussion will be the promotion of democracy in developing countries and the event will take place in cooperation with the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Democracy. Thomas Greminger will open the event with a talk on Switzerland's engagement in this area.
Location: University of Zurich, auditorium (main building)
One of the SDC's key concerns is the promotion of democratisation in its partner countries. It is actively involved in projects to strengthen civil society, the media and human rights. By establishing democratic institutions and processes, it aims to ensure that democratic values are embedded in society.
The promotion of democracy by rich countries such as Switzerland is not without controversy, however. Indeed, the transition from an autocratic regime to a democratic state is often fraught with setbacks, and especially in developing countries, poverty and inequality can lead to new political conflicts, with which the nascent democratic institutions are unable to cope.
Thomas Greminger, deputy director general of the SDC and head of the South Cooperation Department, will give an insight into Switzerland's commitment with his lecture at the University of Zurich. He will talk about related challenges and Switzerland's specific approach to the promotion of democracy. A panel discussion will follow, including representatives from think tanks, NGOs and academia.
The event is one of a series of public events on the topic of "Globalisation, the media and populism: challenges to democracy in the 21st century", and is being held within the framework of the FDFA’s Democracy Without Borders initiative in conjunction with the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Democracy.
