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OAS, U.S. Institute of Peace and Carter Center to Hold Symposium on Democratic Promotion and Strengthening

  May 28, 2024

The Organization of American States (OAS) Voluntary Group for Follow-up to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, together with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter Group of the Carter Center will organize, on Thursday May 30, from 12:00 to 14:30 EDT (16:00 to 18:30 GMT), the symposium titled "Maximizing the Impact of Existing Instruments to Enhance Democratic Promotion and Strengthening: A Joint Discussion on Shared Goals and Challenges, and an Exploration of Mutual Support Opportunities," at USIP Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

This event will feature a public and private session to discuss goals, challenges, and opportunities for mutual support in promoting and strengthening democracy. The public session is open to all interested parties, and the private session is for members of the OAS Volunteer Group.

Speakers (public session):

- Keith Mines, Vice President, Latin America Program, U.S. Institute of Peace
- Jennie Lincoln, Senior Advisor for Latin America and Caribbean, The Carter Center
- Carlos Ayala, Professor and Chair of Constitutional Law, "Andrés Bello" Catholic University; Former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
- Eduardo Stein, Former Vice President of Guatemala
- Thomas Garrett, Secretary General, Community of Democracies
- Catalina Botero, Director of the UNESCO Chair on Freedom of Expression at the Universidad de Los Andes and co-chair of the Oversight Board of Facebook and Instagram


The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, will provide closing remarks.

The OAS Voluntary Group for Follow-up to the Inter-American Democratic Charter was created in response to the mandate of resolution AG/RES. 3004 (LIII-O/23) STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY. Its purpose is to foster dialogue, horizontal cooperation, and the exchange of best practices among its members and identify opportunities within the principles of the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter to strengthen their democracies.

Please consult the agenda of the meeting here.

To register, click here.

The event will be broadcast live here.


Press Contact: Monica Reyes([email protected])

WHAT: OAS, U.S. Institute of Peace and Carter Center to Hold Symposium on Democratic Promotion and Strengthening

WHEN: Thursday, May 30 at 12:00 EDT (16:00 GMT)

WHERE: USIP Headquarters, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20037, Room B2-41/Auditorium.

Reference: AVI-094/24