Canada supports civil society project in Ukraine through Queen's University 

Kingston, Ontario — The Honourable Peter Milliken, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, welcomes the announcement by the Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister for International Cooperation, that the Government of Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is contributing $2.5 million over four years to a Queen's University project to build democracy in Ukraine. 

"Leading international authorities agree that democracy can succeed only where leaders and citizens are committed to its values and understand its requirements," said Mr. Milliken. "Citizens need to acquire an understanding of their role within the democratic process, and their sense of civic responsibility. CIDA, together with Canadian and Ukrainian partners, has been working very hard to bring about a vibrant civil society and improve governance in Ukraine." 

Under the project launched today, Queen's University will work with various government and non-governmental partners and international and academic institutions to strengthen civil society and good governance in Ukraine. 

In Ukraine, Queen's University was requested by the current Minister of Education to build Ukraine's knowledge on democracy and develop its ability to convey this knowledge to the greatest number of people in the country. 

The project aims to build a cadre of trainers and self-sustaining training programs on democracy, to provide civil society, current and future government officials, including law enforcement personnel and university professors, with an understanding of their responsibilities and accountability in a system based on the rule of law and respect for civil liberties. 

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. 

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Information:
Andrew Graham
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister for International Cooperation
Telephone: (819) 953-3160

Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: (819) 953-6534
E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca