The Global GDC Forum, took place in Seoul, South Korea at the Westin Josun hotel, both in person and streamed live. It epitomized the commitment to democratic values within the global context. On 15 March 2024, the Global GDC Forum emerged as a pivotal platform in the lead-up to the Summit for Democracy. It provided a dedicated platform for global voices to engage in dialogue and exchange perspectives on democracy.
In the Global Democracy Forum, we aimed to synthesize the insights and perspectives shared during the regional discussions into a cohesive global dialogue. The initial discussions in each region explored the diverse challenges and opportunities facing democracy, focusing on themes of youth, technology, and democracy.
With this specific focus the first panel delved into how younger generations engage with technology, innovate, and confront disinformation challenges within their respective regions. The global panel brought together the perspectives from each regional dialogue to synthesize the insights from the regional discussions, acting as a bridge between the diverse conversations that unfolded in the regional dialogues across the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Europe throughout their Forum. Panelists engaged in a collective reflection, delving into the unique challenges, achievements, and opportunities for democracy discussed in each region. The overarching goal was to identify common threads while appreciating the distinct nuances that make each region’s journey unique.
During the second panel the objective was to foster a deeper understanding of regional conceptions, practices, and narratives on democracy, culminating in a unified global dialogue. The GDC convened key stakeholders, experts, and participants to delve into regional perspectives on democracy, juxtaposing them with global narratives. The discussions in each region have centered around understanding regional conceptions and practices of democracy, and during this session the panelists compared regional narratives with global perspectives, and identifyed universal democratic values versus region-specific values. The panel aimed to uncover the unique nuances and complexities that shape democratic governance within each region, inspiring a renewed commitment to democratic principles globally.
Finally, a third dedicated session on the future and governance structure of the Global Democracy Coalition was held. Participants engaged in a strategic dialogue, exploring and adopting the Coalition’s mission, vision, priorities, and governance structure for strengthening democracy globally. Additionally, during this session, the advances of the GDC pledges made in 2023 by partners of the Coalition were presented, along with introducing new pledges for 2024.
The Global GDC Forum served as an opportunity to align the Coalition’s efforts with the insights gained from the regional dialogues, fostering a collaborative approach towards advancing democratic principles and values worldwide.
