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Draft:Generation Democracy Network

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Generation Democracy Network
AbbreviationGenDem
Pronunciation
  • jeh-ner-AY-shun de-MOCK-ra-see NET-werk
FormationOctober 27, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-10-27)
FounderAmbassador Mark Green
Founded atDakar, Senegal
Legal statusYouth Network
Purpose"To promote the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes."
Headquarters1225 I Street NW, Suite 800 U.S.
Location
Membership
300+
Official language
English
President
Željko Vukša-Fejzić
Vice President
Marie Kikvadze
Main organ
Global Member Advisory Board (GMAB)
Parent organization
International Republican Institute
Websitehttps://www.iri.org/generation-democracy

The Generation Democracy Network (founded in 2015 in Dakar, Senegal)[1] is the flagship youth network of the International Republican Institute[2], comprised of over 300 members from around the world. GenDem plays a crucial role[3] in amplifying youth voices in politics and civic life at the community, national, and international levels.

GenDem's programs are designed to enhance the capacity of young people to mobilize their peers, advocate for democratic reforms, and address obstacles to meaningful youth participation. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to the development of more resilient, responsive, and inclusive democratic societies. Since its founding, GenDem has been active globally in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

History

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Generation Democracy was founded on October 27th 2015 in Dakar, Senegal through a document named the Dakar Declaration which outlined the core principles that guide Generation Democracy's work, emphasizing youth empowerment, democratic governance, and civic engagement. It was later built on upon by the Dar es Salaam Declaration (also referred to as the Dar Declaration).[4][5] On May 11th 2017. it launched in Asia by releasing the Asia Declaration, condemning corruption and pledging to promote democratic engagement.[6][7]  

Today GenDem operates globally, with on-site presence in over 88 countries.[8]

Members

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Generation Democracy members hold influential positions in various countries, including serving as parliamentarians in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. They are active participants in civic life, advocating for youth issues at the local, national, and international levels.[2]

Leadership

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Generation Democracy is led by a Global Member Advisory Board (also referred to as the GMAB)[9], composed of 12 democratically elected young leaders from around the world. The board shapes the network's strategic direction, ensuring that its initiatives remain relevant and impactful.[10]

Current members of the Global Member Advisory Board are:

Željko Vukša-Fejzić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)[21] serves as the current President, with Marie Kikvadze (Georgia)[22] as Vice President.

Operations and Programs

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Generation Democracy empowers young leaders to drive democratic change. Through a variety of programs and initiatives, the network equips young people with the skills and knowledge to become effective advocates and agents of change. Key activities include:

  • Capacity Building: Providing training and mentorship to young leaders in areas such as leadership, communication, advocacy, and project management.[23]
  • Networking and Collaboration: Fostering connections among young leaders from diverse backgrounds to facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and the development of transnational networks.[24][25]
  • Youth-Led Initiatives: Supporting youth-led initiatives and projects that address pressing social and political issues.[26][27][28]
  • Advocacy and Policy Engagement: Empowering young people to engage with policymakers and decision-makers to influence public policy and promote democratic reforms.[29]

Additionally Generation Democracy plays an active role in global democratic forums, including the World Forum for Democracy[29], the Copenhagen Democracy Summit[30], and the Summit for Democracy[31][32].

Generation Democracy Global Summit:

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The Generation Democracy Global Summit is an annual, flagship event organized by the IRI and the GenDem Global Member Advisory Board (GMAB). It brings together young leaders and activists from around the world to discuss, learn and collaborate on issues related to democracy, governance, and political participation.

The Generation Democracy Global Summit was hosted in: Vienna (2017,2018)[33][34][35], Washington D.C. (2019,2021)[36][37], Antigua (2022)[38][39], Warsaw (2024), Vilnius (2024)[40].

Notable Speakers:

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Recent publications

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  • What’s Next? Young People’s Role in Promoting Democracy, August 10th, 2023 (in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute and the Center for International Private Enterprise)[46]
  • Empowering Young People is Crucial to Democratic Success, May 12th, 2023[47]
  • Report: Understanding Youth Perceptions Towards Authoritarianism, June 12th, 2024 (in collaboration with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins)[48]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ migrate (2016-10-27). "Generation Democracy: One Year Later". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  2. ^ a b "Generation Democracy". International Republican Institute. 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  3. ^ "Global Perspectives: Youth Empowerment Takes Center Stage at the 2024 Generation Democracy Global Summit – Global Democracy Coalition". Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  4. ^ "IRI promises increased support for Youth, Women in EAC region". www.eac.int. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  5. ^ migrate (2016-03-18). "Nearly 50 New Youth Organizations Join IRI's Generation Democracy". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  6. ^ migrate (2017-05-11). "Generation Democracy: Asia Declaration Pledges to Combat Corruption with Democracy". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  7. ^ migrate (2017-08-09). "Asia's Youth Leaders Continue to Fight for Peace". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  8. ^ a b "CoD at the Generation Democracy Global Summit Vilnius 2024 – CoD". community-democracies.org. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  9. ^ BJensen (2022-05-23). "Generation Democracy: For the Youth, by the Youth". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  10. ^ "Generation Democracy Board Members". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  11. ^ "Dorcas Francis". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  12. ^ "Wellington Bakaimani". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  13. ^ "M Salman Al Farisi". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  14. ^ "Solayman Maso". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  15. ^ "Yuliia Dziuba". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  16. ^ "George Platt". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  17. ^ "Sabrina Battilana". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  18. ^ "Julián David Basto Espitia". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  19. ^ "Rachid Ait Eguerd". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  20. ^ "Anthony Bou Abboud". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  21. ^ "Željko Vukša-Fejzić". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  22. ^ "Marie Kikvadze". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  23. ^ "Visit to International Republican Institute - Start-Rite International School". 2019-06-21. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  24. ^ migrate (2019-01-16). "Generation Democracy: An Inspiring Experience". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  25. ^ "Gendem Think Tank - Youth Democracy Cohort". 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  26. ^ "Generation Democracy Malawi Chapter launches campaign to spearhead youth-led response to Covid-19 - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi". www.nyasatimes.com. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  27. ^ "Benjamina Karić: Bh. mladost je naš pogled u budućnost | Sarajevo.ba". www.sarajevo.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  28. ^ migrate (2016-05-13). "Youth Across the Sahel Launch Generation Democracy Projects". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  29. ^ a b "Lab 7 – Cross-cultural understanding: how well do we know our neighbours? - world-forum-democracy - www.coe.int". world-forum-democracy. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  30. ^ BJensen (2023-05-22). "IRI Delegation Participates in the 2023 Copenhagen Democracy Summit". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  31. ^ BJensen (2023-04-14). "IRI Participates in the Second Summit for Democracy in San José, Costa Rica". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  32. ^ BJensen (2023-05-10). "How IRI Contributed to the Second Summit for Democracy". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  33. ^ migrate (2017-09-12). "Generation Democracy Unites Youth at Global Summit". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  34. ^ migrate (2018-06-21). "Generation Democracy: A Vision for Advancing Youth Leadership by 2020". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  35. ^ migrate (2018-06-06). "A Central African Youth Leader's Experience at IRI's 2018 Generation Democracy Global Summit". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  36. ^ migrate (2021-01-22). "Generation Democracy Summit Showcases Youth Contributions to Global Freedom". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  37. ^ migrate (2019-09-03). "Youth Are Society's Changemakers". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  38. ^ BJensen (2023-01-13). "Amplifying Youth Voices: How Should Young People Be Included in The S4D Processes?". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  39. ^ BJensen (2023-06-01). "2022 Generation Democracy Summit Recap". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  40. ^ BJensen (2024-10-07). "Driving Democracy Forward: Insights from the 2024 Generation Democracy Global Summit". International Republican Institute. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  41. ^ Fjalimi im për Samitin Global të Institutit Ndërkombëtar Republikan | Fjalimi im për Samitin Global të Institutit Ndërkombëtar Republikan | By Vjosa Osmani | Facebook. Retrieved 2024-11-06 – via www.facebook.com.
  42. ^ Generation Democracy (2024-09-28). H.E. Hanno Pevkur (Estonia) - Minister of Defence. Retrieved 2024-11-06 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ Generation Democracy (2024-08-17). H.E. Mark Brzezinski (USA) - Ambassador of the United States of America to Poland. Retrieved 2024-11-06 – via YouTube.
  44. ^ Generation Democracy (2024-08-20). Abby Finkenauer (USA) - U.S. Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues. Retrieved 2024-11-06 – via YouTube.
  45. ^ Generation Democracy (2024-09-18). Christine Getzler Vaughan (USA) - Spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to NATO. Retrieved 2024-11-06 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ lli (2023-08-10). "What's Next? Young People's Role in Promoting Democracy - Recommendations from the Second Summit for Democracy". www.ndi.org. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  47. ^ Miner, Meryl (2023-05-12). "Empowering Young People is Crucial to Democratic Success". Modern Diplomacy. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  48. ^ "Report: Understanding Youth Perceptions Towards Authoritarianism : Stavros Niarchos Foundation SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins". snfagora.jhu.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-06.