Highlights from the Canadian Chairship of International IDEA in 2022
The Canadian Chairship of International IDEA culminated in the second bi-annual Council of Member States meeting and a set of side events, organized on 1 December 2022 at the Institute’s headquarters in Stockholm and online. In the position as Chair of the Institute, Canada was supported by the Vice Chairs Cabo Verde and Finland.
Under its Chairship, Canada focused on the challenge of disinformation. Among other activities, Canada hosted two events on the topic on the margins of the Institute’s Council meetings and provided essential funding support to International IDEA’s work on digitalization and democracy. The Institute is grateful to Canada’s generous contributions to this strand of work and sees that the various initiatives on disinformation successfully raised awareness of the impact of disinformation on democratic processes around the world.
One of the major institutional undertakings during Canada’s Chairship was the development of International IDEA’s new Institutional Strategy. As Chair, Canada helped champion the process and engaged with Member States in the various meetings and workshops dedicated to the Strategy. Throughout the year, Canada also leveraged the Board of Advisers’s expertise in its activities and, together with the Vice Chair Cabo Verde, spearheaded a joint session on enhancing gender balance in politics between the two governance bodies.
In the context of the increasingly challenged global democracy landscape, Canada called attention to the need to counter the threats to democracy while promoting and protecting global democracy. These discussions covered a variety of topical issues, ranging from Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine to Myanmar’s constitutional journey. Canada also continuously seeked opportunities to strengthen and promote democratic and inclusive governance, for instance by hosting a panel discussion on how the civic and political participation of youth can both strengthen democracies and contribute to the fight against climate change.
Canada’s Chairship strengthened and widened its collaboration with the Institute. It encouraged the creation of linkages between International IDEA and Canadian experts and increased awareness about the Institute within Canada’s community of experts on democracy. International IDEA is grateful for Canada’s exemplary devotion to the Chairship and looks forward to working closely with Canada beyond its Chairship in 2022.
Read more about the Canadian Chairship activities through the report below.
Canadian Chairship of International IDEA - End of Year Report
