Wednesday, July 09, 2008

  Strasbourg, 04.07.2008 – In an effort to further enhance the visibility, growth and consolidation of the schools of political studies, the Council of Europe today announced the establishment of the European Association of the Schools of Political Studies during the closing ceremony of the Third Summer University for Democracy.
 
Catherine Lalumiere, former Council of Europe Secretary General, accepted to chair the Association and made the following remarks during her speech: “The European project is a large-scale project with an economic dimension, a social dimension and a philosophical dimension - making it a genuine political project. This Association gives us an opportunity to collectively think about what the European project means and the international role of the Europe that we are building together. I firmly believe that the Association of Schools is vitally important as a forum for continuously reflecting on and revitalising the European project and for ensuring that it is about more than just economic prosperity,” she said.
 
“Keep up the good work”, she concluded, adding that she had been very impressed by the number of participants and the high calibre of their contributions.
 
The Association will have no profit-making, political or religious purpose. It will be administered by a board of administration consisting of directors of the Council of Europe schools of political studies and between three and ten members elected for four years by the general assembly of members.
 
The creation of the Association marked the end of the Third Summer University for Democracy, organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg from 30 June to 4 July.
During the course of the week, over 600 participants from schools of political studies in 16 European countries discussed issues related to governance, power and democracy.
 
The participants also received certificates from Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis who said this document “testified not only to their attendance at this one-week event in Strasbourg, but also to their personal never-ending commitment to democracy in their country.”
 
“Our aim is not only to give people an opportunity to study democracy, human rights and the rule of law, but also provide an opportunity for students to meet other students – to promote dialogue and a better understanding between politically active and democratically oriented people from different European countries,” he said.
 
The participants also unanimously adopted a Final Declaration of the Third Summer University for Democracy.