FRA addresses a democracy and defence conference in Sofia

When
Where
Sofia
Bulgaria
External event
The FRA Director, Sirpa Rautio, will speak during the high-level ‘Fortifying Freedom: Defence and Democracy Dialogue’ conference. Hosted by the Centre for the Study of Democracy, this one-day event will bring together representatives of government, academia and civil society to examine the new and challenging geopolitical reality and the different threats to democratic freedoms.

FRA will participate in a discussion that addresses the key challenges facing Europe internally and externally with regards to ensuring fundamental rights and democratic resilience.  

The EU is a union of values, and must continue to safeguard all fundamental rights, and in particular equality and the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression to enable a vibrant and resilient civil society. Fundamental rights cannot be abandoned in the name of security in our response to external and hybrid threats. 

FRA’s involvement reflects its continued engagement in underscoring the importance of upholding fundamental rights as part of Europe’s line of defence to protect democracy and of a whole of society approach to democratic and societal resilience. 

The conference takes place in Sofia on 11 November.