The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

The country’s trajectory in the last two years has been, by most accounts, away from Europe and democracy. Many Western analysts are concerned with how these elections will be conducted. The manner in which the Rada elections take place and their outcome will have an impact on the country’s relationship with the United States and Europe. Given that Ukraine will assume the position of chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next year, the elections may have broader Euro-Atlantic implications as well.

The whole world will be watching the results of the U.S. election.  In Kinshasa, DRC, the U.S. Embassy and NDI, in recognition of the global ramifications of the U.S. elections, will host an election watch event, during which 400-500 Congolese and Americans will participate.  The event will include speeches, panel discussions, educational stalls and a mock voting booth where Congolese will have the chance to "cast their vote."

with:

• Mary O'Hagan, NDI senior resident director- Kenya;

• Joel D. Barkan, senior associate, CSIS Africa Program;

• and moderated by Jennifer G. Cooke, director, CSIS Africa Program

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012, 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Fourth Floor Conference Room, CSIS
1800 K St. NW, Washington, D.C.

You for Me for You, written by Korean American playwright Mia Chung, tells the story of two North Korean sisters - Yuna and Minjee. Facing starvation at the hands of the North Korean regime, they make a bargain with a smuggler to flee to the United States. When one sister is denied passage because she is too weak to make the treacherous trans-Pacific crossing, the other sister vows to race across time and space and return to save Minjee. However, the free world is not without its challenges.

The Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing:

Assessing Ukraine’s Parliamentary Elections

Friday, Nov. 16, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Room B-318 Rayburn House Office Building