European Local Democracy Week: 10 years promoting citizens' participation in Europe
The 2017 edition of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), which marks the 10th anniversary of this initiative, will take place from 9 to 15 October 2017 – the official week of the ELDW – and also during the entire month of October. Towns and cities in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe and beyond, together with their national associations, are invited to roll out activities on the theme ?Citizen participation, consultation and commitment for a thriving local democracy”. On 14 October 2017 the Secretary General of the Congress, Andreas Kiefer, will welcome the participants in the Citizens’ Summit of the City of Strasbourg, being held at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg (France), in the context of the ELDW’s tenth anniversary. On 19 October 2017, a debate on the future of ELDW will be organised on the occasion of the 33rd Session of the Congress, with a presentation by Marc COOLS (Belgium, ILDG) on behalf of Gaye DOGANOGLU, Spokesperson of the Congress on the European Local Democracy Week, and a statement by José Manuel RIBEIRO, Mayor of Valongo (Portugal).