On behalf of the Democracy Defender Initiative, I would like to inform the Permanent Council of the following matter.
In 2016, the Democracy Defender Award was established to recognize the enormous contribution that civil society makes to defending and promoting democracy in the OSCE region. The Award honours outstanding contributions to upholding the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.
In keeping with this tradition, we are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2026 Award is PromoLex.
PromoLex focuses on promoting democratic values, developing a strong civil society, and implementing internationally recognised human rights in Moldova. The organisation is made up human rights activists who work to provide legal assistance, strategic litigation, research, and human rights monitoring. It is also a leading actor in election observation, contributing to the integrity and transparency of electoral processes through monitoring, independent reporting, and advocacy for electoral reform in line with international standards.”
The 10th Anniversary Democracy Defender Award Presentation and Seminar will take place on 13 May 2026.
In addition to the official presentation of the 2026 Democracy Defender Award, the Seminar, featuring a panel of expert speakers, will explore how civil society can help address democratic backsliding and build democratic resilience in the OSCE region. Invitations have been distributed, and we encourage Delegations’ response and attendance.