The Council of Europe is organising an international conference on the subject of strengthening and protecting civic space. The Shaping democratic renewal: civic space and the path to a New Democratic Pact for Europe conference will bring together key players from civil society, member states and international organisations, who will discuss and aim to co-develop solutions to the issues in this area. The event will take place on 2-3 February and will be open to media and webcast. The conference will be under the umbrella of the New Democratic Pact for Europe.
The conference will be opened by Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Ambassador Daniela Cujbă, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova and President of the Ministers' Deputies will welcome the participants, and Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, will deliver a keynote address.
The conference will contribute to the ongoing consultations under the Council of Europe-initiated New Democratic Pact for Europe, which aim at making the benefits of democracy more tangible for everyone through innovative approaches and formats.
The conference participants will exchange experiences and ideas on addressing the challenges, create new partnerships and networks through dynamic round tables, interactive Q&A sessions, and live polls.
The conference will start at 2 p.m. CET on Monday 2 February 2026, at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg and will be open to media.
New Democratic Pact for Europe
Secretary General Alain Berset
