Political Discourse International Webinar

 

Strengthening Democracy and Reconciliation

through Ethical and Respectful Political Discourse


Tuesday, 25th January 2022

12 noon (GMT) 13h00 CET (Brussels)

  • How critical is ethical and respectful political discourse to the future of democracy? To the future of Europe? To building reconciliation locally and globally?

  • What policy and regulatory frameworks and what policy initiatives and networks support more ethical and respectful political discourse?

  • How can ethical and respectful political discourse be the norm and what role do political parties, civil society and the media have in this regard?

  • Perspectives from the EU, US and UK will share their experiences and knowledge

    and lead a discussion on how to strengthen democracy and the conditions for reconciliation

    through the practice of ethical and respectful political discourse.

    Speakers & Moderator

    Dubravka Šuica

    European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography

    Dubravka Šuica was appointed Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography in September 2019. A Croatian politician from the city of Dubrovnik, Mrs Šuica served two terms as the city’s first female mayor and was awarded the 2006 World Mayor Award. Dubravka Šuica entered politics in the 1990s as a Member of the Croatian Democratic Union and served as a Member of the Croatian Parliament and Vice-Chair of the EU Integration Committee. Between 2004 and 2009 she was a Board Member of the Union of the Association of Towns and Municipalities of the Republic of Croatia. Over a 10 year period, she was Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. From 2013 to 2019, she served as a Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee. In June 2019, Mrs Šuica was elected as first Vice-Chair of EPP Group in the European Parliament. She is the Vice-President of EPP Women since 2012.

    Timothy J. Shaffer

    Associate Professor, Kansas State University and Director, National Institute for Civil Discourse

    As a scholar, Dr. Shaffer centers his research on the advancement of democratic practices by focusing on deliberative democracy, civic education, and small group communication with a concentration on the role of civic professionals in institutional settings such as higher education, NGOs, and government. He routinely presents at conferences and offers workshops exploring themes of civic engagement, civil discourse, and deliberative dialogue. He has published numerous articles on deliberation, higher education, community development, and civic life. He has also contributed to edited volumes on environmental leadership, higher education’s historical and contemporary civic engagement movement, graduate education, and communication pedagogy.

    Su Moore

    Chief Executive, Jo Cox Foundation

    Su Moore is the CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation. Before joining the Foundation in 2019, she worked across a variety of industries including the arts, charities, media and sports organisations, including roles at the British Council and London 2012. Outside of the Foundation, she is a Trustee of the Bishopsgate Institute in London.

    Moderator

    Tony Connelly

    RTE Europe Correspondent

    Tony Connelly has reported extensively on Brexit, and has been covering EU and European affairs since 2001. He has also reported on conflicts in Africa, the Caucuses, Ukraine, the Balkans and the Middle East. He is the recipient of two ESB National Media awards, a European Journalism Award and a New York Festivals radio award. He has received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the UCD Smurfit Graduate School journalism awards, and a Law Society Justice Media Award for his coverage of the Brexit negotiations. Tony is the author of "Brexit and Ireland", nominated Irish non-fiction book of the year in 2018, and "Don’t Mention the Wars: A Journey Through European Stereotypes", published in 2014.

    About the Glencree / Hume Foundation Political Discourse Project

    Both the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (www.glencree.ie) and the John & Pat Hume Foundation (www.humefoundation.org) work to reflect and promote values of respect for diversity, inclusion, dialogue and reconciliation.

    Our focus on public political discourse derives from a concern about the nature and impact of negative politics. This includes a concern about:

    • the public’s trust in elected representatives and the political process
    • the public’s engagement in politics and in particular the engagement of young people, women, minority ethnic groups and others who remain under-represented
    • the furtherance of democracy and reconciliation on the island of Ireland and across Europe.


    For Information:

    Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation

    Joan O’Flynn

    M: 00 353 (87) 905 1514

    joanmoflynn@gmail.com

    John and Pat Hume Foundation

    Tim Attwood

    M: 00 44 7802 279939

    timattwood1963@gmail.com