Twenty years ago today the Berlin Wall was dismantled, providing the most visible and resonating image of the emergence of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. Yesterday US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gave the keynote address at the Atlantic Council’s gala dinner in Berlin commemorating the events of 1989.
In her speech, Secretary Clinton recognized that, while the Wall’s destruction was perhaps the most memorable of the events that took place that year, it was just one of many smaller acts of courage and principle that allowed democracy to re-emerge in a region frozen in authoritarianism for half a century. In many ways, these acts have continued to this day, as reformers carry on the task of building institutions, combating corruption and resurgent authoritarianism, and encouraging civil participation in public life.
All of us in the development community recognize that, although much significant progress has been made, the future of reform in the post-Communist region is uncertain. A successful democratic society does not arrive with the first free election, nor is its survival guaranteed. Democracy is a set of rules, but a successful democracy requires people who understand the rules, and agree to abide by them. The practice of democracy, as the saying goes, requires the practice of democracy.
To provide reformers with a forum for reflection on the past two decades and discussion on what can be done in the next two, CIPE is organizing a two-day conference in Kyiv, Ukraine entitled “Twenty Years Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Lessons Learned and the Future of Reform.” The event, which will take place November 16-17, will bring together past and present CIPE partners to form strategies for addressing new challenges that have arisen, and older problems that have proven difficult to overcome.
In its two decades of support for democratic development in Central and Eastern Europe, CIPE has provided a multitude of opportunities for citizens in this region to better understand the benefits of participatory governance and free markets. In 1989, CIPE initiated one of its first projects in a former Communist country, as it partnered with the Krakow Industrial Society to train over 500 future entrepreneurs, at least 60 of whom went on to open new businesses. Throughout the 1990s, CIPE continued to find new areas in which it could work to strengthen the democratic process by demonstrating the power of political participation and entrepreneurship to insure that governments acted in the best interests of everyday citizens. In the Czech Republic, CIPE developed a pilot program with a major university to bring together local business people and international experts to set a regional standard for corporate governance and sound management. In partnership with USAID, CIPE supported a crucial report published in Hungary which outlined recommendations for economic reform both in Hungary and throughout post-Communist Europe.
As democracies in Central and Eastern Europe continued to consolidate, CIPE turned its focus to the Balkans, where democratic development was threatened by latent authoritarianism and ethnic tensions.
CIPE assisted its partners in Serbia to take a leading role in the country’s transition from authoritarianism by mobilizing the business community to advocate for stronger institutions and reduced corruption. In war-torn Kosovo, CIPE and its partner the Riinvest Institute promoted entrepreneurship as a means of hastening the country’s economic reconstruction.
In the years ahead, democratic development in Eastern Europe will continue to face serious challenges. Disputes surrounding Kosovo’s declaration of independence, the resurgence of authoritarian attitudes in Russia, and continuing ethnic tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are just some of the issues that jeopardize the establishment of deep and meaningful democracies in Eastern Europe.
CIPE’s upcoming conference will give those dedicated to continuing the process of democratic and economic reform a chance to revitalize one another’s efforts by sharing the lessons and knowledge they have gained through their unique experiences. Continue to check the CIPE Development Blog over the coming weeks for more retrospectives and comments on this anniversary from CIPE staff, as well as updates from the conference itself.
Published Date: November 09, 2009