Invitation Letter

Organización de los Estados Americanos
Organização dos Estados Americanos
Organisation des États américains
Organization of American States

June 20, 2007

Dear civil society representative,
The Summits of the Americas Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the OAS Secretariat for Political Affairs (SPA) will hold a Meeting entitled “Democracy Bridge: Multilateral Regional Efforts for the Promotion and Defense of Democracy in Africa and America” on July 10-11-12, 2007 at OAS Headquarters (Hall of the Americas, 17th and Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.).
The "Democracy Bridge" meeting will bring together the African Union (AU) and the Organization of American States (OAS) to analyze issues related to democracy, human rights, and conflict resolution. The Meeting is being held in the framework of the Community of Democracies (CD), an association of democratic states committed to supporting and strengthening democracy worldwide. Participants of this meeting will include government experts and representatives, officials of the African Union (AU) and the OAS, academics, and civil society representatives. This meeting will pay particular attention to the newly approved African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and take notes of lessons learned from the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
The meeting format will consist of plenary addresses and panels and "breakout sessions" devoted to specific sub-topics, including the topics of strengthening democratic institutions and promoting democratic values, electoral observation, political dialogue and conflict prevention, the protection and promotion of human rights, and civil society and multilateral organizations.
Civil society organizations that would like to participate in the Democracy Bridge meeting must send a communication to the Summits of the Americas Secretariat confirming their attendance via email (summitcso@oas.org) or fax (202.458.3665).
For more information, please view the agenda of the Democracy Bridge: Multilateral Regional Efforts for the Promotion and Defense of Democracy in Africa and America.
Best regards,


Summits of the Americas Secretariat
Organization of American States