– As early as the 1960s and 1970s, we understood that poverty and ignorance must be met with investments in democratic values. Countries that had been freed from dictatorship needed support to build democracy. How do you begin when the rule of law and freedoms do not exist? How do you build democracy in Albania after Hoxha, or in the Baltics after the fall of the Soviet Union? How do we create a sense of hope for the future in Georgia and Moldova? writes Alf Svensson, former party leader of the Christian Democrats as well as Minister for Human Rights and International Development Cooperation, in the anniversary book that KIC launched earlier this year.
In his role as Minister for International Development Cooperation, Alf Svensson presented a bill proposing that development aid be channeled through political parties. After the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) adopted the bill in 1995, the Christian Democrats’ Council for Democracy and Development was established. The work began in the Baltics and was later expanded. In 2005, KIC was formed to create a more long-term and professional structure. Its mandate was broadened to include training, methodological development, and capacity building in countries where democracy was still young.
Today, KIC works with political parties, civil society, and democracy activists in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
– Around 70 percent of the world’s population lives under dictatorial regimes, where fundamental democratic rights are absent or severely restricted. Our focus is on strengthening democratic forces by educating young people so that their voices are heard in politics, building networks for women politicians, and working closely with our sister parties to develop strong, values-based organizations, says Annika Reyes Rigö, Acting Secretary-General of KIC.
After 30 years, KIC continues to be a voice for democracy and justice.