Antonella Cagnolati: “ELDW is a unique encounter with democracy at the grassroots”

“European Local Democracy Week is a way to offer the public, at least once a year, the opportunity to discuss their concerns and community affairs with their elected representatives for a better perception of how local democracy works,” Antonella Cagnolati, Director of the Congress, points out in her appraisal of ELDW 2010 and forecasts for the 2011 event.

Question: What were the main thrusts of ELDW in 2010?

Antonella Cagnolati: In 2010, local authorities were invited to enlarge on the theme of climate change, in the spirit of the outcomes of the Copenhagen Summit held in December 2009.  This topic attracted a great number of municipalities large and small. Furthermore, municipalities were in a sense made to emulate each other through the opportunity to choose the status of “12 Star City” or “Partner City” and thereby adjust their level of participation. Major towns together with small municipalities accordingly decided to adopt the stipulated criteria for gaining “12 Star City” status, and significantly involved themselves in the Week. These innovations allowed the participation in ELDW to be broadened: new municipalities, especially Paris, as well as Amadora (Lisbon), Katowice, Antalya and Belgrade, joined in alongside towns faithfully renewing their commitment (Brussels, Candelaria in Spain, Odessa in Ukraine and Ierapetra in Greece).

Question: What is the role of the Congress?

Antonella Cagnolati: The Congress is primarily responsible for launching and co-ordinating the Week. Meetings are organised by the Congress with the national co-ordinators of the 47 Council of Europe countries, in order to settle together the themes on which local initiatives could be conducted. Moreover, the Congress participates on its own account in a number of actions: for instance, in October 2010 in conjunction with the City of Strasbourg it held a conference on the inclusion of foreign residents in public life at local level and, with the Schiltigheim local authority and the association Solidarity Water Europe, an encounter between young people and elected representatives from various East European countries on access to water and respect for the environment, a key issue in the social and economic development of a community.

Question: What are the avenues for European Local Democracy Week in 2011?

The 2011 version of ELDW could revolve around the theme of human rights. The question of putting human rights into practice at local and regional level is in fact set down among the new priorities of the Congress adopted for 2011 and 2012. Our intention is to support the relevant action of the Council of Europe by encouraging local and regional authorities to take steps for the realisation of these rights on the ground. Also, and we are very pleased about this, ELDW has aroused the interest of local and regional authorities beyond the boundaries of Europe. For example, we are co-operating with Morocco with a view to launching a Moroccan Local Democracy Week in 2012.