Beirut, 13 June 2012 (ESCWA Communication and Information Unit) — ESCWA has recently launched an electronic seminar on “Democracy and Participation.” Held from 4 June to 30 July 2012, this open forum is intended to think through some of the various challenges facing democratic transitions in Arab countries, focusing on the prerequisites of democratic rule and the relationship between democracy and civic engagement.

The e-seminar fits within a larger effort undertaken by the commission to facilitate dialogue; democratic values; consensus building mechanisms and civic engagement, by inviting participants from the Arab world to actively shape critical policy messages and make concrete recommendations on how to engage with the challenges of transition. The key messages and recommendations of the forum will be integrated into a flagship publication on “the Transition to Democracy in Arab Countries” and translated into short policy briefs to be distributed across the region.
The ESCWA Social Development Division encourages all interested persons to participate in this discussion and find out other information on the following website http://pdwa.escwa.org.lb.