Matjaž Gruden, director of Democratic Participation at the Council of Europe, talks about the reasons behind people losing faith in democracy, disrespect for human rights during the Covid-19 pandemic, attacks on the media freedom, the power of the Platform for the protection of journalists and the importance of active citizenship among young people.
MATJAŽ GRUDEN – Director of Democratic Participation at the Council of Europe, which includes Council of Europe activities and programmes in the area of education, including education for democratic citizenship, youth cooperation, culture and cultural heritage, landscape and biodiversity. The Directorate also includes the Platform for the protection of Journalists, the Eurimages film fund and the North-South Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity.
He previously served as Director of Policy Planning, Deputy Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General, political adviser and speechwriter for the Secretary General and President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Prior to his career at the Council of Europe, he was a diplomat at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted in Brussels. He holds a law degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, as well as a post-graduate degree in EU law from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.
The conversation, moderated by Nataša Briški and Aljaž Pengov Bitenc, is part of a project, aiming to address rising illiberal tendencies in Slovenia and North Macedonia from EU perspective and perspective of EU values – rule of law, human rights, free media, democracy.
The project/publication is supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is not responsible for the content of this project/publication, or for any use that may be made of it. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s)/organiser(s) of the project alone. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.