Helsinki Process to discuss promoting political participation as an alternative to extremism

Press release 224/2006
7 July, 2006

The Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy is organising a round table meeting in Amman, Jordan, 11-12 July to discuss how to promote political participation as an alternative to extremism, particularly in the region of West Asia and North Africa. The event is hosted by His Royal Highness Prince el Hassan bin Talal of Jordan in cooperation with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

The round table will discuss how the inclusiveness of political decision making could be improved and seek to identify possible means and measures to empower civil society and to encourage new partnerships among different stakeholders in the region.  In this context, the meeting will discuss how the Middle East Citizens' Assembly, a regional civic organization, could contribute to dialogue, reconciliation and democracy.

The round table will also address the interaction and cooperation among governments and other stakeholders in West Asia and North Africa. The objective is to examine the possibilities for launching a Process for Cooperation and Security in the region. In so doing, the round table will examine the possibility of creating regional social and energy charters as well as the establishing a regional cohesion fund for social security.

The round table will include some 25 participants mainly from the West Asia and North Africa region. The Helsinki Process co-chairs, the governments of Finland and Tanzania, will also be represented at the meeting.

The Helsinki Process was launched in 2002 as a joint initiative of Finland and Tanzania to search for new approaches to global problem-solving.

More information: Senior Adviser to the Minister Mr. Folke Sundman, [email protected], +358 40 569 6630, Ambassador Ilari Rantakari, [email protected], + 358 40 709 4245, and www.helsinkiprocess.fi