Warsaw, 23 April 2015
CD PERMANENT SECRETARIAT PRESS RELEASE
Secretary General to participate in dialogue with civil society in Chile
The Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Maria Leissner, will make an official visit to Chile on April 27-‐28. The purpose of the visit is to participate in a set of regional dialogues with civil society and representatives of governments from Latin America. The dialogues will focus on the state of civil society in the region and its access to resources. The events will take place within the context of the project “Protecting Civic Space and the Right to Access Resources,” and in cooperation with United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, Maina Kiai. The project addresses a concerning global trend of shrinking space and increasing restrictions on civil society organizations (CSOs). Access to resources is an inherent element of the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. Thus, restrictions on foreign and local funding of CSOs pose a threat to fundamental freedoms. The dialogues in Chile are expected to increase awareness among civil society and governments of the international legal framework on the right to access resources. Additionally, these talks aim to foster larger international recognition for the role of governments in enabling and protecting civil society. For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact the Communications Officer at the Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies, Mr. Lukasz Lukaszek: llukaszek@community-‐democracies.org. For appointments and scheduling inquiries for Secretary General, Maria Leissner, please contact the Executive Assistant to the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Ms. Beata Chrostek: bchrostek@community-‐democracies.org For more information on the event, please contact the Head of Programs at the Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies, Mr. Francesco Lembo: flembo@community-‐democracies.org
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