World Forum for Democracy 2022 | France

S.O.S. Democracy in distress

Are deepening social, cultural and economic divides fraying people’s trust? Are democratically elected politicians failing to address citizens’ concerns? Are traditional democratic models and processes simply too slow or inefficient to keep up in our fast-paced, tech-driven modern world? This is an opportunity to take a look at the full range of challenges and their root causes.

Can we swing back the pendulum?

We need to ask not just how government should adapt, but what role we might expect business, communities, civil society, individuals and the international community to play. The influence of each of these has changed over recent years, sometimes beyond recognition. So, whose responsibility is it really if we want to reboot democracy?

Democracy defended – From decline to renaissance?

Can we change it? Is it possible that the relentless rise of the Internet, Artificial Intelligence and the Metaverse can conform to democratic principles? Might they in fact hold the key to making democracy fit for purpose in the twenty-first century? The international, rules-based order has had limited effectiveness in preventing democratic backsliding and its consequences, how could the Organisations and States promoting democracy address this? This 10th World Forum will look to what our ambitions should be for democracy today, over the next ten years, and far beyond.

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