A week after the terrorist attacks on Madrid on 11 March 2004 that killed 191 people, openDemocracy hosted a special meeting in London, inviting 100 people from twelve countries to discuss the meaning and implications of what had happened, as well as to honour the dead.
You can read the published exchange which followed, as well as a series of articles that were specially commissioned by openDemocracy, involving a range of writers - including Diego Hidalgo and Ivan Briscoe in a shattered Spain, the Lebanese artist Mai Ghossoub, the French diplomat Stephane Gompertz, the Moroccan-French scholar Nelcya Delanoe, and the experienced British writers Isabel Hilton and Timothy Garton Ash.
Now, on the anniversary of the bombings, we are involved in a much bigger, groundbreaking international discussion of democratic responses to terrorism.
Play your part
From 8-11 March 2005, Madrid is hosting a major International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security. Thousands of people - including key policy-makers, scholars, and heads of state and government - will come together to discuss the ways that democracies can respond to acts and threats of terror, and to publish a document proposing new ways forward: the Madrid Agenda.
You can play a part in creating this democratic vision of a safer world. openDemocracy, in partnership with the Summit organisers, is working to open and extend the debate. You don't have to come to Madrid to be involved, and you don't need to be a head of state, policy expert or politician to join in.
- You can take part in our online debate, starting early in January
- You can come to Madrid on 11 March and join in the Town Hall event
- You can hold your own small meeting on 11 March, sitting down with friends, family or colleagues to talk about the issues raised in the Madrid Agenda
- You can read the series of articles on Democracy, Terrorism and Security that we will be publishing.
Whatever you do, we hope you will take part. The world can be changed if we all act together - and now is the time to begin.
To find out more about the Madrid Summit visit safe-democracy.org or register to receive information at http://english.safe-democracy.org/pre-reg.html .
