Varuzhan Hoktayan, Executive Director of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center participated in the 6th Session of the Council of Europe's Forum for the Future of Democracy "Perspectives 2010: Democracy in Europe - Principles and Challenges" held in Yerevan from October 19 to 21, 2010. The Forum, organized by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the principles of democratic governance by analysing their application to, and their repercussions on, contemporary political and societal changes in Council of Europe member states.

Focusing on the principles of democracy in Europe, the 2010 Forum identified strategic approaches to strengthening good democratic governance in the European space in the face of regional and global challenges, and formulated proposals for the next phase of the Forum process.

The Forum, which brought together prominent figures from the international and national political scene, civil society, the media and the academic world from the whole of Europe, focused on the following themes: the impact of European law and case-law on shaping democracy; should there be a right to democracy?; democracy and representation; democracy and global governance; sustainable communities for a vibrant democracy; democratic political culture: democracy's oxygen.

Varuzhan Hoktanyan addressed democratic political culture in his intervention. Among the renowned speakers during the international gathering was Miklos Marschall, Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia of Transparency International, Berlin.

See Forum website for details