Fifth Forum 2000 International Award for Courage and Responsibility
The nomination process for this year’s award is currently underway. The award honors individuals or institutions selected through a three-stage process that draws on the insights of a diverse range of distinguished members of the Forum 2000 network. Established by the Forum 2000 Foundation in 2021, the award recognizes extraordinary civic courage and actions that prioritize responsibility to the wider community, the defense of democracy, and the promotion of human rights and civil liberties over self-interest. This year’s award ceremony will take place during the opening of the 29th Forum 2000 Conference on October 12 in Prague.
Remembering Mario Vargas Llosa
The distinguished Peruvian writer and Nobel laureate in literature, Mario Vargas Llosa, passed away on April 13 in Lima, Peru, at the age of 89. He was a valued friend of Forum 2000 and Democratic Solidarity. Through his membership in Forum 2000’s International Coalition for Democratic Renewal, Vargas Llosa exemplified courage, integrity, and an enduring commitment to democratic values.
Belarus: An Unprecedented Crackdown on Citizens
“Belarus stands as a glaring example of crimes against humanity unfolding in broad daylight, yet largely neglected or ignored,” writes Andrei Sannikov, an ICDR member, coordinator of the European Belarus civic campaign, a Belarusian presidential candidate in 2010, and a former prisoner of conscience.
Romania’s Upcoming Presidential Elections
“Romania is the only country in Europe where a secret service officially computes the vote, managed the pandemic response, officially stores citizens’ private data, and wins major IT contracts, including some with EU funding,” writes ICDR member and Professor of Comparative Public Policy at the LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome Alina Mungiu-Pippidi for the Forum’s Bulletin regarding the upcoming presidential elections in Romania.
DSLA Conference in San José
At the end of March, the Forum 2000 Foundation held the tenth edition of the regional conference “Democratic Solidarity in Latin America” in San José, Costa Rica. The meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the state and challenges of democracy in the region, rising geopolitical uncertainties, growing authoritarian influence, the undermining of the judicial systems in various Latin American countries, and other important issues. Please find the DSLA‘s central topics for 2025 here.
Andréa Ngombet Shortlisted for 2025 Allard Prize for International Integrity
Andréa Ngombet, a Congolese anti-corruption campaigner, Forum 2000 associate fellow, member of the ICDR and the DSA Steering Committee, and the founder and director of the Sassoufit Collective, has been shortlisted as one of three finalists for the 2025 Allard Prize for International Integrity. The Allard Prize — one of the world’s leading anti-corruption awards — recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and leadership in combating corruption and upholding human rights. The 2025 award ceremony will take place in New York City this June. Andréa has been at the forefront of Congo-Brazzaville’s pro-democracy and anti-corruption movement for over a decade and his work is dedicated to promoting democracy, transparency, and civic engagement in his homeland.