International Symposium:

“Democracy and Democratization: A Comparative Assessment”

An international symposium entitled “Democracy and Democratization: A Comparative Assessment” is being organized by the Research and Development Center – Intercollege, in cooperation with the Dialogue Chair in Middle Eastern Studies - Intercollege and the European Rim Policy and Investment Council (ERPIC) on 20-21 February 2004 (the program is attached). The Symposium which will start at 16:30’ on Friday 20 February will be opened by the Coordinator for Harmonization of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Takis Hadjidemetriou and welcoming addresses will be made by the Director General of the Research and Development Center – Intercollege, Professor Andreas Theophanous and the Dean of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Intercollege/Representative of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to the Convention on the Future of Europe, Professor Michalis Attalides.

It is a very important symposium in which well-known academics, researchers and analysts from the USA, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Iran and Cyprus will take part. The speakers will examine and analyze different perspectives of the theme and a comparative assessment of the subject will be developed with examples and cases of democratization of countries in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The issues that will be developed and discussed are of particular importance to the EU and the international community in general.

The speakers include Shlomo Avineri of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Claus Giering of the Center for Applied Policy Research of Munich, Germany, Mahmood Sariolghalam of the School of Economic and Political Science of the National University of Iran, and Amy Hawthorne of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C, USA.

The symposium will take place at Intercollege’s premises in Makedonitissa, and entrance is free for the public.  Those who would like more information and/or express their intention to participate please contact the Research and Development Center – Intercollege at 22 841600.