Prague, Czech Republic – Democracy activists from Belarus, Bolivia, Burma, Russia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe recently visited the Czech Republic for a two-week training program on topics ranging from democratic governance to executive management and macroeconomic policy.  Hosted by IRI's Rising Stars program and CEVRO, the Czech think tank and academic institution, the program allowed participants to meet with and learn from experts, academics, government officials and civil society organizations who spoke of the Czech Republic’s successful democratic transition.

In an effort to better conceptualize the benefit and political returns of developing sound economic policy, participants visited the city of Plzen.  Known as the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic, the city government has gone to great lengths to attract businesses and investment.  Participants visited the Business Innovation Center, a private entity that works to provided subsidized assistance to start-up companies and inexpensive labor and facilities to multinational firms that in turn provide jobs for the local economy. 

The group concluded the day by meeting with the mayor of Plzen, Martin Baxa.  Mayor Baxa emphasized to the participants the importance of attracting quality employers and raising the profile of the city as a place with a high standard of living, as he did with his work to have the city named the European Capital of Culture.  The mayor also touched upon the inauspicious history of the city under the communist regime and the challenges that he and his predecessors faced in making the city the thriving business and population center that it is today.    

As part of the Czech Republic’s transition from 41 years of communist dominated rule, the country sought to find a means to ensure totalitarianism would not rear its ugly head in the future.  In 2007 the government created the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.  The institute was created to document the practices of the communist government and make public the security records that were compiled during this period and also conducts vetting for the national government to screen potential senior employees, ensuring they are not associated with the previous communist regime or Warsaw Pact.  Another function of the institute is to maintain the Security Service Archive, which documents actions taken by the security services of the former regime against citizens.  Daniel Herman, director of the institute, described their role as “being imperative for the purification of the national memory.” 

Rising Star participants discussed with senior staff of the institute why this an important factor in the successful transition from closed or totalitarian regimes to a democratic society where rule of law is prevalent.  The participants left Prague with a better understanding of the steps and processes involved in an inclusive and democratic transition process. 

Launched in 2007, IRI’s Rising Stars program ensures the leaders of new democracies are fully equipped with skills in effective democratic governance.  Through international exchanges, participants are exposed to the experience of successful democracies, and obtain insight into the challenges of democratic governance and best practices in policy development.  Rising Stars meet with decision-makers who have played an important role in their country’s democratic opening such as government officials, political party representatives and civil society leaders.  While sharing their successes institutionalizing the rule of law, fostering economic openness, and laying the foundations for representative democracy these individuals also offer participants advice and recommendations on managing the many challenges that exist during the consolidation of a democratic system.  Through these initiatives, IRI is working to further cultivate the global network of tomorrow’s democratically-minded leaders.

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