Twenty-six Danish observers from the election observation organisation SILBA will observe the upcoming elections in collaboration with international and local partners.
Volunteers from the Danish Support Initiative for Freedom and Democracy (SILBA) will observe the elections working together with other local and international observers present in Sarajevo. The Danish mission arrived in Sarajevo on Thursday while the missions’ official pre-election program is to begin on Friday. The mission concludes with a report on its findings that will be available at the OSCE conference on preliminary results of the elections on Monday.
Pre-election programme in collaboration with partners
During an intensive two-day programme, the SILBA observers will be introduced to a diverse list of topics of relevance to the upcoming elections taking place all over Bosnia on Sunday the 12th of October. A total of 40 Danish and Bosnian participants will attend the programme which include presentations and seminars with representatives from the EU, the UNDP, local NGO’s, the Danish consular representation in Bosnia as well as representatives working in areas of special interests. Some of Bosnia’s prominent independent political analysts and journalists will discuss the political situation and the media, while representatives from SILBAS partner organisation M1 Prava za Mlade will host a seminar, presenting its activities aimed at the promotion of education, employment and youth participation. Oneworld (OWPSEE) will inform the participants about the situation regarding the status of human rights and the issue of women’s participation in politics.
Volunteering for democracy
SILBA is a Danish cross-political NGO working for democratic political environment, and for supporting fair and free elections in the new EU member states and in EU’s neighbouring countries. The organisation is based on the voluntary commitment of its members. The organisation turns 20 years this year but it is the first time that the organisation sends an Election Observation Mission to Sarajevo.
Observation in international teams
On the 12th of October the SILBA delegation will be observing the elections all over Sarajevo, including the municipalities of Stari Grad, Centar, Novo Sarajevo, Vogosca and Ilidza. The SILBA delegation will be working in international teams of Danish and local volunteers. A teambuilding workshop will be held prior to the day of elections together with an intensive course on election observation techniques and information on the Bosnian Election Law.
Election observation and social capital building
It is the first time SILBA has a mission in Sarajevo. However, the organisation has decades of experience in involving young people from Denmark and partner countries in the election observation processes all over Europe. The emphasis on democracy support- and development in combination with the proactive involvement of youth is one of the key features of the organisation. Forming local partnerships is therefore an important component of the missions’ strategy towards a successful observation.
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