Governance and citizenship

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) calls upon its member associations to promote the 2010 European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), which will take place from 11 to 17 October, amongst their own members, and more specifically, amongst local communities, cities and municipalities.

This year's main theme will be 'the impact of sustainable communities in fighting climate change" in the context of the failure of the Copenhagen summit in meeting ambitious targets on environmental strategic issues and of taking into account the role of local and regional authorities in this process.

The ELDW is an annual European event, launched in 2007 and initiated by the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy. National and local activities, public debates, exhibitions and competitions are organised during the course of the week by participating local authorities in Council of Europe member states so that they may improve and promote local democracy.

More generally speaking, the ELDW provides a great opportunity for local councillors, civil servants and citizens to raise their awareness of democratic participation at the local level as a key factor in building a democratic European society.

In 2009, an estimated 3000 municipalities participated in the week and organised events under the ELDW label.

For more information, please visit the ELDW website.