The conference, titled “Democratic Transition in the Arab World: Roadmap,” commences on Saturday in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It features the participation of prominent Arab thinkers, researchers, and political activists.
The conference aims to discuss and evaluate the experiences of Arab countries following the Arab Spring.
These nations witnessed the failure of democratic transitions in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Libya, as well as setbacks in popular movements in Algeria and Sudan. This period also saw a decline in democratic experiments in Lebanon and Iraq, accompanied by a resurgence of authoritarianism, increased restrictions on freedoms, and intensified repression. Against the backdrop of diminishing democratic models in the Arab region and globally, coupled with the rise of authoritarian and populist trends, as well as the growing influence of money, media, and influential minorities in shaping decision-making in several countries.
The conference provides an opportunity for researchers to collectively brainstorm and outline a roadmap for democratic struggle in Arab countries in the coming decades. This includes identifying the necessary characteristics of democracy and the conditions for its success.
Furthermore, the conference serves as a platform for contemplating ways to network Arab democratic efforts to change the state of democracy in the region. It also aims to establish the nucleus of an “Arab Democratic Network” that continues the struggle for people to enjoy the right to live freely, within the framework of a state governed by law and sound institutions. This is because democracy remains the only choice to escape the tragedies experienced by Arab peoples, especially after several decades of authoritarianism, subjugation, and underdevelopment.
The conference offers an opportunity to present the contributions of Arab democrats to the global discourse on the democracy crisis in its Western strongholds. It explores how to renew the concept of democracy and develop its practice in the face of the ailments and obstacles that have deeply affected it. Additionally, it discusses how to build a broad international alliance among democracy advocates from different nations, featuring renowned international researchers specialized in democracy.
Previously, the Arab Council Foundation organized other conferences, including “Arabs of the Future: From Subjects to Citizens” held in Istanbul in March 2019, attended by 170 prominent Arab figures. There was also the “Arab Spring: Lessons from Experience and Future Challenges” conference in February 2021. Additionally, the “Democracy First in the Arab World” conference took place in December 2021, concurrently with the Biden Summit for Democracy.
