About the CoD

The Community of Democracies (CoD) is a global intergovernmental coalition comprised of the Governing Council Member States that support adherence to common democratic values and standards outlined in the Warsaw Declaration. The CoD is represented in the international fora by the elected Secretary General.

Historical Background

Born as a common initiative of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Polish Foreign Minister Bronisław Geremek, the Community of Democracies was founded at the Ministerial Conference held in Warsaw, Poland, where high-level delegations from 106 countries adopted the Warsaw Declaration Toward a Community of Democracies. The Warsaw Declaration outlines 19 principles for the effective establishment and functioning of a democracy.

Since its establishment in 2000, the Community of Democracies gradually developed from a conference initiative into a global intergovernmental coalition of democratic states and a multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue and discussion.

The Community of Democracies provides Member States with a forum in which to work together to learn from each other and identify global priorities for diplomatic action to advance and defend democracy, including through collective diplomatic action at the UN and in other multilateral fora. In addition to facilitating joint diplomatic action, the Community provides an international forum that facilitates mutual dialogue, learning, and exchange of experiences among Members.

 

Strategic Objectives 

In line with the Community’s Strategic Plan for 2018-2023, Members of the Governing Council, with support from the Community’s Permanent Secretariat, will work with civil society to:

  • Cooperate to encourage adherence to the Warsaw Declaration principles in countries within and  the Community of Democracies;
  • Provide sustained support for key democratic consolidation in transitioning countries outside the Community;
  • Increase and deepen their dialogue on the challenges that they face as democracies.