2022 International Democratic Union Forum in Washington DC

On December 6th to the 9th of 2022, Ms. Zozan Berwari participated in the 2022 IDU Forum in Washington DC on behalf of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Foreign Relations office.

Through these forums party officials and leaders from around the world meet biannually to renew their commitment to shared values of freedom and democracy and to discuss pressing current challenges around the world. The panel of experts presented and discussed the topic of concern and then engaged in a debate with the delegates present in the forum.

 On behalf of the KDP Foreign Relations office, Ms. Berwari participated and met with participants of the forum including the current chairman of IDU, the Honorable Stephen Harper, and Ms. Sofia Brambilla, Chairwomen of the International Women's Democrat Union (IWDU), the Honorable Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan-Canada, Congressman Mike Turner from Ohio, Congressman Dan Crenshaw from Texas, and Congressman Michael Waltz from Florida.

The forum hosted many distinguished speakers from the US, particularly whose working on the Republican Party agenda. These individuals and others from around the world contributed greatly to the rich discussions that shaped a global conversation aimed to address pressing global challenges such as Russian - Ukrainian war,  the current developments in the Middle East, energy security, and climate change.

 In detail, the program of the forum started with a meeting of the International Women’s Democrat Union (IWDU), where women from different parts of the world discussed their experience about democracy and future aspirations as political figures. “IWDU is an association dedicated to the advancement of women and the promotion of important women-related issues inside the global centre-right party family. IWDU provides female leaders with possibilities for networking, empowerment, enhanced visibility and encourage women to take political offices.”

 The program of the forum continued on the following days and addressed global challenges including War of Russian - Ukraine and Europe energy crisis and how to protect territorial integrity of the states and energy security and global order: the cause for the continued commitment to transatlantic engagement and cooperation, the current developments in the Middle East, particularly the on-going revolution in Iran and the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon, the rise of the new radicals in Latin America;  a potential partner or intractable opponent, the geopolitics of cybersecurity- combatting disinformation and defending democracy, youth defending freedom and democracy around the world.  The Republican Party agenda for 2023, the future of conservative politics, the future of the Republican Foreign Policy, and last but not least climate change, discussing clean growth through innovation.

The International Democratic Union (IDU) is a global alliance of centre-left parties, where participants gather to discuss challenges around the world and to find suitable solutions. The IDU forums take place twice a year: once in Washington DC and the second, the location alternates between cities in Europe.