Tavricheskiy Palace Hosted Research and Practice Conference “Youth Participation in Electoral Process: Experience of IPA CIS Member Nations”

On 21 May 2021, the Research and Practice Conference “Youth Participation in the Electoral Process: the Experience of the IPA CIS Member Nations” took place in the Tavricheskiy Palace – the IPA CIS headquarters. The event was organized by the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of the IPA CIS Member Nations (IPA CIS IIMDD). The meeting was attended by the members of youth parliamentary delegations, representatives of election administration bodies, experts in the electoral field, representatives of youth parliaments and youth public organizations.

Expert of the IIMDD IPA CIS, Acting Head of the Department of World Politics, Deputy Dean of the Department of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor Dmitriy Baryshnikov moderated the Conference.

Coordinator of the Youth Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member Nations, member of the Committee of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Science, Education, Culture and Sports Muhammad Valiev made a welcoming speech to the Conference participants.

Deputy Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council, Director of the IPA CIS IIMDD Ivan Mushket in his welcoming speech emphasized the close relationship between the development of the electoral sphere and youth policy.

Furthermore, Executive Director of the Russian Foundation for Free Elections, expert of the IPA CIS IIMDD Maxim Leskov spoke about the project called “Youth Electoral Concept”.

Member of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Committee on International Relations and Interparliamentary Relations, member of the Committee of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic on Family, Women and Children, member of the youth parliamentary delegation of the Azerbaijan Republic Nigar Arpadarai presented the report “The Era of Digital Transformation and the Image of the Future Voter”.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Public Association “Belarusian Republican Youth Union”, Deputy Head of the parliamentary youth delegation of the Republic of Belarus Dmitry Voronyuk told the participants about the practical experience of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union during electoral campaigns.

Member of the Standing Commission of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on European Integration, member of the youth parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Armenia Sona Ghazaryan presented the report on the role of independent public observers in the electoral process using the example of her country.

Director of the Bishkek office of the IPA CIS IIMDD Islambek Mursabekov and Director of the Chisinau office of the IPA CIS IIMDD Yevgeny Shtirbu informed the participants about the work to improve the electoral culture of young people in their respective countries.

Chair of the Committee of the Majlisi Milli of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan on Ensuring the Constitutional Foundations, Human Rights and Freedoms, Citizens and the Rule of Law, Head of the youth parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Tajikistan Dilshod Rahmon shared the experience of the Republic of Tajikistan in involving youth in the electoral process.

In his turn, Chair of the Election Commission of the Leningrad Region Mikhail Lebedinsky shared his experience in organizing elections at the regional level.

The conference ended with the adoption of the outcome resolution, which highlighted the main areas of interaction between election administration bodies, youth structures, public authorities of youth policy, and other stakeholders to increase youth participation in electoral processes.