EIUC-VIU- Council of Europe – “Training Academy on Democratic Governance for young professionals of the South Mediterranean Region”

EIUC and VIU (Venice International University) are the proud co-organisers and hosts of the “Training Academy on Democratic Governance for young professionals of the South Mediterranean Region” (Académie de formation pour des jeunes professionnels de la region du Sud de la Méditerranée sur la Gouvernance démocratique), which opened at the VIU premises on San Servolo Island, on Saturday 5 April 2014.

The pilot project is organised in the framework (and with the support) of the Council of Europe – European Union joint programme “Programme Sud – Renforcer la réforme démocratique dans les pays du voisinage méridional” started in 2011, and also thanks to the financing provided by Norway – regional programme on violence against women and girls.

Participating in the programme are 34 high level professionals from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia: their profiles include civil servants (representing Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of Interiors, of Justice, of Economic Development), to officials from national and local representations (Parliament, local administrations), from judges and legal practitioners, to researchers and NGO activists.

The objective of the training is to deepen the participants’ competences on the key principles and mechanisms which surround the process of democratic transition: respect of human rights, good governance, rule of law. 

The core programme focuses on:

• The concept of democratic governance and its concrete implications;
• The preconditions for the establishment of a democratic system (electoral processes, transitional justice, fight against corruption);
• The (internal and external) mechanisms of democratic control
• The role of civil society
• The protection of human rights, with specific emphasis on gender equality, the fight on violence against women and girls, the fight again human trafficking;

Among authorities, key lecturers and experts involved:

• Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
• Luisella Pavan-Woolfe, Ambassador of the European Union to the Council of Europe
• Florence Benoît-Rohmer, Professor of International Human Rights Law, EIUC Secretary General
• Umberto Vattani, Ambassador, President of  VIU
• Gaia Manselli, ODG Programme, Council of Europe
• Mohsine El Ahmadi, Professor of Sociology, Université de Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech (and Academic Coordinator of the Programme)
• Amine Ghali, Executive Director, Al Kawakibi Center for Transitional Justice (KADEM)
• Youssef Laaraj, Director, l’Ecole citoyenne des études politiques du Maroc
• Ahmed Driss, Director, l’Ecole politique de Tunis
• Mouna Kraiem Dridi, Professor of Constitutional Law - Faculté des sciences juridiques, politiques et sociales de Tunis
• Gaël Martin-Micallef, Secrétariat de la Commission de Venise
• Jean-Paul Jacqué, Professor of International Law, University of Strasbourg, honorary General  Director - EU Council
• Jean-Marie Heydt, President of the “Conférence des Organisations Internationales Non Gouvernementales (OING) du Conseil de l'Europe” and President of the Centre Nord-Sud of Lisbon of the Council of Europe
• Christophe Speckbacher, Head of Section, Council of Europe, GRECO
• Lahcen Kers, Judge, Président de section – Moroccan Audit Court
• Gordana Gasmi, Professor of Law, Singidunum University Belgrade, Expert of the Council of Europe (CAVHIO)
• Markus Lehner, Council of Europe, Division for the European Convetion against trafficking
• Hedia Bel Haj Youssef, Researcher Center of Arab Woman for Training and Research (CAWTAR), Tunis
• Michele Valensise, Ambassador, Secretary General at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Katerina Markovova, ODG Programme, Council of Europe

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