Letter from the President

As I take on the role of President of the Club de Madrid, I would like to begin by paying tribute to my predecessors for the monumental task that has meant leading a global team dedicated heart and soul to promoting democracy around the world since it was founded in October 2001. The faces have changed but the objective is the same: to help wherever conflicts arise, where underdevelopment continues, where people suffer from lacking the basic needs, where the environment is being destroyed. It can be summed up in one single idea: to be where there is a need for greater democracy.

The universal value of this word goes beyond its political meaning; at least that’s how it is for the Club de Madrid. I firmly believe that democracy, like intelligence, sums up what sets us apart as human beings, our capacity to organize, develop, be free, respect one another and live in peace. In a world increasingly aware of social and political inequalities, we must channel all our efforts to delivering to those in need the message that democracy, despite its difficulties in being effective, is vital in every sense. Democracy defends universal values of respect and understanding that help us build a fairer and more cohesive  world.

The Club de Madrid, with all its Members, is perhaps the organization with the greatest expertise in democratic government that is willing to transmit its values in countries and regions experiencing difficulties in development at any level. My commitment is none other than to continue to aspire to formulate new effective,ideas, ideas which emanate from open debate and through overcoming differences, which broaden minds and reduce gaps in coexistence. Our challenge in this first decade of the 21st century will still be to defend above all a social model that respects peace, the rule of law, diversity and the environment. Finally our obligation is to all: to promote the progress of humanity in order to leave future generations a safer, more just and more habitable world.

Wim KOK

Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1994-2002)
President, Club de Madrid