Partners for Democratic Change organized a Leadership Symposium on 16 December 2004 in Washington, DC as the first step in a long term effort to facilitate closer linkages between global businesses and development practitioners. The Leadership Symposium on "Corporations as Builders of Law and Society in Evolving Democracies" brought together corporate leaders from a variety of industries, including mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, large-scale construction and banking to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in developing democracies. A summary report "Moving the Corporate Agenda Forward..." was complied following the symposium.

In September 2004, Partners launched an initiative to foster inter-sectoral collaboration in resolving public disputes in Mexico. Partners-Mexico was established as a national Change Management Center in Mexico City, which will serve as a nexus for NGO-government-private sector collaboration. The Center will advance democratic planning and decision-making, engage more citizens and organizations in civic matters, and promote more effective public-private partnerships.

The Roma Integration Program held its first annual Regional Beneficiaries Meeting from May 17 to 19, 2004 in Brno, Czech Republic. Roma program participants from eight communities across the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia came together to share experiences and build bridges across borders to strengthen their efforts to advance Roma integration in the region. They also visited the Roma museum in Brno and met with important Roma public officials from the Czech Republic. The highly successful event was covered by television, radio and print media (click here to read an interview with Partners Regional Program Director Brad Heckman about the Program).

In May 2004, Partners evaluated the work and impact of our Center in Albania, looking specifically at its Youth Leadership Program, Women’s Leadership Program, Academic Program, and Small Grants program. Interviewees included program beneficiaries, funders and partners in Partners Albania’s programs. Please click here for more information regarding the assessment.

Partners' President, Raymond Shonholtz, was invited in January 2004 to participate at the prestigeous conference in Sana'a, Yemen titled "Inter-Governmental Regional Conference on Democracy, Human Rights and the role of the International Criminal Court." Click here for more information.