H. Res. 1143 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 12, 2010. 

Whereas the Community of Democracies is a global intergovernmental organization of democratic countries which 

aims to promote democracy and strengthen democratic 

norms and institutions around the world; 

Whereas the Community of Democracies was founded in 

June 2000 at a ministerial conference in Warsaw, Poland; 

Whereas the Warsaw Conference was convened upon the initiative of then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and 

then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Bronislaw 

Geremek; 

Whereas delegations from 106 countries signed the final declaration of the Warsaw Conference on June 27, 2000, endorsing an agreed list of core democratic principles and 

practices, and committing themselves to the promotion of 

those principles and practices; 

Whereas since the Warsaw Conference, there have been four 

subsequent ministerial conferences of the Community of 

Democracies in Seoul, Korea, in November 2002, 

Santiago, Chile, in April 2005, Bamako, Mali, in November 2007, and Lisbon, Portugal, in July 2009; 
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Whereas since its founding the Community of Democracies 

has been guided by a Convening Group, today consisting 

of Cape Verde, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, India, 

Italy, Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, 

and the United States; 

Whereas in June 2009, Lithuania assumed the Presidency of 

the Community of Democracies for a 2-year term; 

Whereas upon the initiative of the Government of Poland, the 

Community of Democracies established a Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw in January 2009, with the goal of 

strengthening the institution and enabling it to more effectively fulfill its mission of promoting democracy worldwide; 

Whereas the Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw has established itself as a vibrant institution of the Community of 

Democracies, with an active agenda and effective operation; 

Whereas under the leadership of the Convening Group, the 

Lithuanian Presidency, the Permanent Secretariat, and 

the International Steering Committee, the Community of 

Democracies has mounted recent efforts to promote democracy in such countries as Iran, Burma, and Afghanistan, and passed resolutions, issued position statements, 

and committed itself further to missions assisting democratic advancement in those countries and societies which 

desire it; and 

Whereas on the 10th anniversary of the Warsaw Conference, 

the Community of Democracies will convene in Krakow, 

Poland, to re-launch the Community and adopt a work 
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program to advance democracy worldwide: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) commends the Community of Democracies for 

its achievements since it was founded in 2000; 

(2) applauds the recent establishment of the Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies and 

expresses its appreciation to the Government of Poland 

for the support it has extended to the Permanent Secretariat and for hosting it in Warsaw; 

(3) appreciates the energy and initiative that the 

Lithuanian Presidency has committed to the Community 

of Democracies and its Working Groups; and 

(4) extends its best wishes for the success of the 

Community’s ongoing efforts to promote democracy 

worldwide, and of the Krakow Conference, which will be 

held on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the 

Community of Democracies. 

Attest: 

Clerk.