Statement by: CIVIL, MEDIA DIALOGUE, Youth4Media, the New European People’s Forum, and the German Union of Journalists
With over 25 speakers and panelists from ten European countries and the USA, and more than 60 participants from North Macedonia, the major international conference “Defending Democracy and Human Rights in Times of War, Nationalism, and Authoritarianism” took place in Skopje on December 11-12. The two-day conference, organized by partner organizations – CIVIL from North Macedonia, MEDIA DIALOGUE, Youth4Media from Germany, and the international organization New European People’s Forum – with financial support from the government of the North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, marked the start of the Defending Democracy initiative.
The conference aimed to shed light on the challenges facing democracy and human rights while developing actionable recommendations and laying the groundwork for strategies to address them. It was part of the official program for Human Rights Week, an initiative by North Rhine-Westphalia, and coincided with the International Human Rights Day and the 25th anniversary of CIVIL, established in 1999.
University professors, diplomats, experts, journalists, and civil society representatives participated in the main conference on December 12. On the first day, December 11, workshops, a press conference, networking sessions, and interviews with prominent participants from Europe and the USA were held with Macedonian media outlets.
“These days, Skopje will be the capital of democracy in Europe,” declared CIVIL President Xhabir Deralla at the December 11 press conference, quoting the organization’s statement on the International Human Rights Day.
The conference garnered significant interest both domestically and internationally. Media outlets across the region and abroad featured coverage of the event. Experts, journalists, civil society leaders, and politicians extended congratulations to the organizers.
“Since the elections, this has been the most significant socio-political event in the country,” wrote Jelal Hodzic, President of the SDA Macedonia party, in his message to CIVIL.
The conference was livestreamed across three CIVIL video channels – in English, Macedonian, and Albanian – and numerous related materials were published on CIVIL Media, accessible for further use by other media outlets.
“This was an exceptionally successful conference that brought together many people and ideas in one place,” remarked Mika Beuster, President of the German Journalists’ Union, in an interview with CIVIL Media. “What I’ve learned is that combating fake news, disinformation, and propaganda is a vital task for ensuring stability and fostering productive discussions in an open society. Journalism plays a key role in this fight, as it is both a target and a carrier of misinformation. Supporting independent journalism and promoting media literacy among audiences is crucial. We exchanged many ideas, and now it’s time to take action.”
CIVIL’s media platform also conducted individual interviews with several international participants, which will be published in the coming days and made available for further distribution and use.
“These two days of the conference on defending democracy and human rights addressed challenges within the country and the Balkans, tackling various regional issues that demand solutions, considering aspirations for EU membership. The discussions also included key processes, the economy, and stability,” noted Dr. Wolfgang Ressmann, President of MEDIA DIALOGUE and Youth4Media from Germany. “Globally, the conference addressed today’s pressing issues. One critical conclusion is that there is no single solution. However, all solutions must be rooted in the values of democracy and human rights. The Balkans and North Macedonia must be guided by light, not darkness, as they become EU members and potentially offer solutions for overcoming challenges faced by the Union itself. And we in the EU must change many things, too.”
CIVIL President Xhabir Deralla echoed this sentiment, stating the day after the conference, “The conference concluded successfully, but the initiative continues and will yield results not only locally and regionally but also internationally.”
“I am proud that CIVIL is part of this new international initiative, which, in partnership with several German and international organizations and networks, and with the support of the North Rhine-Westphalia government, begins right here in Skopje,” Deralla said.
“It was valuable to meet people from so many different places, all facing variations of the same alarming trend. We were able to exchange findings, discuss what works and what doesn’t, and I believe this will evolve into a network of solidarity. It was sobering yet inspiring, and I hope conferences like this take place worldwide,” said Heather Roberson Gaston, a human rights expert from the USA, in an interview with CIVIL Media.
Ahead of the conference, CIVIL launched a dedicated website for the event, featuring the official hashtag #DefendingDemocracy, along with program details and short biographies of all participants.
CONFERENCE, FULL VIDEO, Streamed live on December 12, 2024:
https://youtu.be/1f2Eo1ZXEQ0
PHOTO ARCHIVES: #DefendingDemocracy, Panel 1: Democracy under Siege
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.994398716055531&type=3
#DefendingDemocracy, Panel 2: The Rise of Far-Right Nationalism
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.995019619326774&type=3
#DefendingDemocrcy Panel 3: Countering Authoritarianism
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.995771969251539&type=3
#DefendingDemocracy conference, Panel 4: Commitment to democracy
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.996548069173929&type=3
#DefendingDemocracy Conference (overall)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.993726732789396&type=3
#DefendingDemocracy – workshop and meeting with the press
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.992924672869602&type=3
#DefendingDemocracy PRESS CONFERENCE
https://youtu.be/19GAn7azNvY
For more information on the Conference, please visit the special website DefendingDemocracy
