UG “Why Not” on the Personal Democracy Forum in Warsaw

Personal Democracy Forum which was held in Warsaw on the 1st and 02 February hosted President UG “Why not” Dark Brkan who participated in a panel discussion on online activism and his achievements.

The panel beside Darko, was  participated by Katarzyna Szymielewitz and Marek Tustynski fromPoland and Arzu Geybullayeva from Azerbaijan.

At the beginning of the panel, the question was how online activism separate from the activism that is happening outside of Internet space, and all the discussion participants agreed that it is a very complicated issue, since the activism that’s going on and spread through social networks and other online channel is always related to the goals in real life. Participants agreed that all thinner becomes the line between online and offline life.

Darko Brkan said that he doesn’t consider himself an online activist even though daily uses social networks and the Internet via their computers and smart phones, but that certainly understands the importance of these channels to spread the message. Still, said Darko, every activist was he online or offline has its sources in the everyday life. Brkan mentioned the case when in Bosnia a few years ago there was a dismissal of the Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic, who resigned due to public pressure that ensued through social networks. Public pressure through social networks and online channel is used as a means of communication among citizens.

Arzu Geybullayeva has presented a number of examples of online activism in Azerbaijan and said that this is a very important channel for the exchange of accurate information and coming to public opinion in the countries where there is a large degree of media freedom and where the information is mainly through the channels with the regime media.

After the first day of the conference organized by Arzu and peaceful gathering in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Warsaw, the arrest Emina Millia, activists, which was also supposed to participate in the forum in Warsaw.

Personal Democracy Forum which was held in Warsaw, brought together more than 200 members of civil society organizations from Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe.