Monday, June 22, 2009

On 6– 10 July 2009, the Council of Europe organizes with the support of the European Union, the French Government and the local authorities of Alsace and Strasbourg, the 4th Summer University for Democracy: "Global challenges to democracy"

Over 600 political leaders, civil society activists, journalists and business leaders from 16 European countries will meet in Strasbourg to discuss the impact of contemporary challenges to democratic values, human rights and the rule of law, as promoted by the Council of Europe since its creation in 1949.

The Summer University is the annual highlight of the Council of Europe’s 16 schools of political studies which aim to train the next generation of political, economic, social and cultural leaders in transition countries.

Speakers :
- Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis will open the Summer University on Monday 6 July at 9:30 a.m. and Slovenian President Danilo Türk is expected to give an opening lecture.
- Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries, Parliamentary Assembly President (PACE) Lluis Maria de Puig, President of the European Association of the Schools of Political Studies Catherine Lalumiere and Michel Rocard, former French prime Minister, are among the opening speakers.
- Lilian Thuram, President of the Lilian Thuram Foundation-Education against Racism, will participate in the closing session on Friday 10 July at which a final declaration is due to be adopted.

Practical information:
- A press briefing will be given by Jean-Louis Laurens, Council of Europe Director General of Democracy and Political Affairs, and Nawel Rafik-Elmrini, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg, on Monday 22 June at 5 p.m. (Room 1, 2nd floor of the Palais de l’Europe).
- The plenary sessions and thematic conferences are open to the press, as opposed to the workshops and meetings in the ECHR.
- The opening and closing sessions of the Summer University will be webcast live at www.coe.int

Special file: The Schools of political studies

Contact:
Henriette Girard, Press Officer Tel. +33 (0) 3 88 41 21 41 , Henriette.Girard@coe.int
Ulvi Akhundlu, Press Officer Tel. +33 (0) 3 88 41 26 38, Ulvi.Akhundlu@coe.int