Democratic Alliance

“Democratic Alliance” is All-Ukrainian Youth Public Organization, which unites youth from the most regions of Ukraine.

To form, on the basis of Christian democracy, new, responsible, patriotically-oriented, civil-political elite of the country, by means of creating conditions for development, improvement and realization of youth to the benefit of Ukrainian people.

The first initiative groups on establishing the organization originated in July 1994 in several cities of Ukraine.

About 100 delegates from the most regions of the country took part in the Constitutive Congress on 25 April 1995.

The organization was registered on 26 January 1996 according to the judgement of the Ministry of Justice ¹711.

The registered organization was named – All-Ukrainian YPO “Christian-democratic Youth of Ukraine”.

In June 2007 during the Congress of the organization there was made a decision to change its name.

The new name of the organization is All-Ukrainian YPO “Democratic Alliance”.

The main task of “Democratic Alliance” activity is overall realization of legal, social, economic, creative and other common interests, abilities, rights and liberties of young people on the basis of Christian Democratic ideology.

- creation of favourable conditions for overall development and expression of individuality of young people on principles of Christian ethics;

- assistance in the activity of Ukrainian political parties which stand up for the idea of realization of state policy on basis of Christian Democracy;

- development of the international cooperation with Christian Democratic and other organizations of Europe and the world.

The highest authority of “Democratic Alliance” is the Congress, which is convened not less than one time per two years.

In the period between the Congresses a governing body of “Democratic Alliance” is the Coordination Council, which is formed by the Heads of regional branches and the Board members of the organization.

In the period between Congresses and sessions of “Democratic Alliance” Coordination Council, the activities of the organization are governed by its National Board.

The chairman of the organization leads the sessions of the Coordination Council and "Democratic Alliance" Board meetings and also realizes operative management of organization between its sessions.

Realizing the necessity of the development of democracy in our country “Democratic Alliance” always paid much attention to the processes which hastened and intensified it.

Since the day of its establishing “Democratic Alliance” held hundreds of different activities (seminars and conferences, congresses and round-table discussions) on local, Ukrainian and international levels on the subjects of political education of youth, democratization of Ukrainian society, honesty and transparency of the elections in the country, development of independent mass-media, students’ and pupils’ self-governing, European integration, activization of youth social movement, training of patriotically-oriented young political elite of Ukraine.

“Democratic Alliance” took an active part in establishing youth unions, the activity of which was aimed at protection and spreading the democratic values in Ukraine. Thus, the organization became one of the initiators of the youth coalition “Our Ukraine”.

The members of the organization took an active part in created by the Coalition of youth “Our Ukraine” Free initiative “Students’ wave”, the Heads of some region branches of Democratic Alliance were at the head of structure units of this movement. Also the representatives of the organization were activists of other campaigns and initiatives, which struggled for rights and freedoms of the citizens of Ukraine and its further democratization. The members of the organization took an active part in the Orange revolution.

- increase of the role of youth in political life of the state, its participation in forming and realization of public policy by means of creating favourable conditions for the development of the leadership features of Ukrainian youth in contest of training responsible and patriotically-oriented social-politic elite of Ukraine. In 2007 „Democratic Alliance” is realizing Ukrainian project „School of Young Leader „Start with yourself – change the country!” third year;

- assistance in raising the attention of Ukrainian youth to working out a strategy of Ukrainian integration to European and Euroatlantic structures. In 2007 „Democratic Alliance” is realizing Ukrainian informational enlightening project „Youth on the Way to Europe!” third year;

- enlargement of youth knowledge about the spectrum of political ideologies and increase of the supporters of Christian-democracy in Ukraine. In 2008 „Democratic Alliance” will realize Ukrainian project „School of Young Politic „Let’s go together!” for the secod time.

Realizing the necessity of overcoming negative manifestations of interconfessional confrontation and their harm to Ukrainian society, understanding topicality of establishing friendship relations between church confessions and non-government organizations of Ukraine, aspiring to engage youth of different confessions into the participation in social-political life of the country, for the sake of mutual understanding and realizing mutual interconfessional projects, on 12-19 September 1999 on the eve of 2000 anniversary of the Christ’s birth with benediction of hierarchs and heads of Ukrainian Christian churches, “Democratic Alliance” initiated the realization of the congress of Christian youth which was held by the patronage of the President of Ukraine in Kiev.

During the congress, in which more than 2000 participants from all the regions of Ukraine and from abroad took part, the questions of engaging Christian youth into social projects, coordination of the efforts considering mutual struggling with negative phenomenon in youth sphere and the question of Christian education were discussed. The President of Ukraine, Hierarchs, the heads of state committees for family, youth and religion took part in the congress. The delegates of the congress made a decision to create coordinating body for the constant work in youth sphere, “Interconfessional Council of Christian youth”, the part of which formed the representatives of youth organizations and youth of different confessions.

So, the congress which was initiated by “Democratic Alliance” became the first ponderable step to establishing the dialogue between youth and state organizations and youth of different confessions.

Together with Interconfessional Council of Christian youth, our organization accomplishes activity in the youth sphere. Since the Congress in 1999 “Democratic Alliance” and Interconfessional Council of Christian youth organized solemn celebration of 2000 anniversary of Christ’s birth in Kiev – “Ukrainian Christmas”, in which thousands of Kiev residents and guests of our ancient city took part; we also took part in XV World Day of Youth which was held in Rome; we held „The day of open doors” in theological establishments of eight Christian confessions for the first time in our country, as the search of mutual ways in theoretical and practical work of religious establishments and familiarization with the programmes of study, spiritual life and every day life of students; we published the first interconfessional chronicle “Millennium”, which clears up the activity of social and missionary work of Christian interconfessional youth.

“Democratic Alliance” together with “Interconfessional Council of Christian youth” and with the support of the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sport of Ukraine held interconfessional international camps already four years on end, which are aimed at consolidation of affords of interconfessional church communities and youth organizations for the continuation of Christian dialogue and solving the social problems of Ukrainian society.

During all the period of its existence „Democratic Alliance” paid much attention to the international aspects of its activity.

Because of the active positon on the international youth scene our organization got a full membership in such two youth European organizations as YEPP (Youth European Peoples Party) and DEMYC (Democrat Youth Community of Europe).

„Democratic Alliance” became the member of DEMYC in 1996, and the member of YEPP in 1998.

Hard and fruitful work in these two youth structures gave our representatives an opportunity to be elected to the governing bodies of YEPP and DEMYC. Thus, in 2001 Vladislav Sinyagovskij, who at that time was the General Secretary of „Democratic Alliance”, became the Vice-president of DEMYC. And in 2004 Galina Fomenchenko who was the International secretary of the organization, became the Vice-president of YEPP.

So, “Democratic Alliance” is one of little number of the organizations in the Eastern Europe, whose representatives are the members of the governing bodies of the biggest youth European formations.

During the time of its activity in YEPP and DEMYC “Democratic Alliance” triggered different decisions and political resolutions. The activity of the organization promoted the establishment of the partner relations with many European youth organizations, which were incarnated in dozens of realized projects in Ukraine and abroad.

Except its traditional activity in aforementioned European platforms, the organization established active cooperation with such already non-youth European unions as PanEuropean Union and got the full membership in Robert Schuman Institute.

Its worth mentioning that “Democratic Alliance” became the only national youth organization in Europe and the only representative of Ukraine which has the membership in Robert Schuman Institute. So, Robert Schuman Institute has already become the third international organization, after YEPP and DEMYC, in which “Democratic Alliance” has the full membership.

Entry of our organization into the association “Robert Schuman Institute” attests further development of the international activity of “Democratic Alliance” and strengthening of its positions in social-political European level. Taking into consideration that before the entry of “Democratic Alliance” into this association among all the youth structures only one international European student platform EDS was the member of it and that such a giant of European policy as European People’s Party and a great number of national parties of European countries are also the members of it, the receiving of the status of the full member is a great success for our organization.

The representatives of “Democratic Alliance” visit dozens of international activities which are held in different European countries every year, the governing body of the organization has a great number of meetings with the politicians of European level.

“Democratic Alliance” realizes active bilateral cooperation with European youth organizations.

European People’s Party (EPP) – is the biggest party of the All-European level. It unites 69 centre-right parties from 37 countries. Among the EPP members there are 16 prime-ministers (10 in the EU countries + 6 in European countries which are not members of the EU), 9 members of the European Commission (including the president of the European Commission). It is also the biggest group in the European Parliament: 264 MP (member of parliament)

Since 1998 CDYU (since 03.06.07 All-Ukrainian YPO Democratic Alliance) is a full member of the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP), which unites 48 centre-right youth political organisations from over 35 countries and number more than a million members.

The Democrat Youth Community of Europe (DEMYC) is the international umbrella organisation of the youth wings of Christian-Democratic, Conservative and like-minded parties of Europe. Founded in 1964.

Robert Schuman Institute was named after Robert Schuman, a well-known French Christian-Democratic politician, who after World War II, as the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France and later President of the European Parliament, fought for the unity of Europe in peace and freedom. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of European integration and the Schuman Plan has become part of our life by now.

The 'Union of the Robert Schuman Institute for Developing Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe' was founded in 1995 by the European Union of Christian Democrats, the Robert Schuman Foundation Luxembourg, The Foundation for European Studies, The European People's Party/Christian Democrats (EPP) and a number of national parties and other organisations - to replace the 'Christian Democratic Academy for Central and Eastern Europe'. The Institute is performing under the auspices of the European People's Party with an extended scope of activity.

CDYU (since 03.06.07 All-Ukrainian YPO Democratic Alliance) is a full member of the Robert Schuman Institute since 2006. Democratic Alliance is the only national youth organization and representative of Ukraine among members of the Robert Schuman Institute.

The aim of the Paneuropean Union is to unite all European peoples into a strong Europe, which is able to effectively promote its interests and ideals in the world.

The Paneuropa Union declares that it is committed to European patriotism, the coronation of the national identities of all Europeans. Given the present situation of interdependencies and world-wide challenges, only a strong Europe which is politically united can guarantee the future for its peoples and ethnic entities.

It was founded in 1922