| In an era marked by rising authoritarianism, declining trust in institutions, and erosion of democratic norms, countering the negative narrative surrounding democracy has become an urgent matter. Democracies worldwide face unprecedented challenges, including disinformation campaigns, polarization, and threats to fundamental human rights and the rule of law. |
Copenhagen, May 15 (DPnet).– The Global Democracy Coalition (GDC) launched today The Voice and Value of Democracy campaign at the Copenhagen Democracy 
Summit, scheduled for May 14-15 to transform the prevailing narrative and counter recent negative perceptions of democracy. The GDC, a multi-stakeholder alliance of over 120 global democracy organizations dedicated to developing and defending democracy worldwide was organized by International IDEA in collaboration with civil society partners.
The launch of the campaign, led by the GDC partner Club de Madrid, featured a video that outlined the campaign and listed reasons why we should say 'Thank You Democracy', the campaign's slogan. The campaign aims to increase global understanding of democratic systems' advantages, encourage participation, and emphasize our duty of preserving them by delivering a positive narrative. The launch was presented by Belarusian opposition activist Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who expressed her solidarity with the campaign as someone who "has witnessed first-hand the power of grassroots movements and the resilience of democracy".
The Global Democracy Coalition (GDC) outlines diverse actions that will be launched during the duration of the campaign*, including but not limited to the following:
- Regional Dialogues: virtual/onsite exchanges between GDC representatives and educational institutions to raise awareness of the importance of youth participation in democratic processes, foster intergenerational exchange and provide mentorship for those interested in upholding democratic values in their countries.
- Media engagement: publication of pieces or interviews in media outlets ahead of landmark dates such as International Democracy Day.
- Dissemination of GDC messages: the main actors of the campaign will contribute to spreading and amplifying the campaign’s key messages
-Podcast: Development of podcast episodes featuring discussions on the value of democracy in different contexts.
-Audiovisual Content: materials will be created for social media platforms to spread key democracy messages from GDC members and allies on landmark dates.
The Global Democracy Coalition was formed in October of 2021, and convened by International IDEA and democracy organizations from around the world. The goal was to convene organizations committed to the advancement of democracy and to engage collectively and constructively with the first Summit for Democracy, hosted by the United States government.
[ For additional information, reach out to Elisenda Ballesté Buxó (e.ballestebuxo@idea.int) or Laura Flores (lflores@clubmadrid.org) ]