Message from Yoani Sánchez (Frankfurt Book Fair 2010)

On October 7, 2010 the Bertelsmann Stiftung organized a panel discussion on the status and prospects of democracy in Latin America in the new centre „Weltempfang" at the Frankfurt Book Fair, a cooperation between the Book Fair and the German Foreign Service. Participants of the discussion included Dr. Eva Karnofsky (Journalist and Writer, Bad Honnef), Dr. Hans-Jürgen Puhle (Professor of Political Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt), Dr. Martín Kohan (Writer and Critic, Buenos Aires) and Josef Beck (Head of the Department Latin America/Andean states and Deputy Representative for Latin America in the German Foreign Service, Berlin). Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez was also invited and willing to take part in the discussion, but the Cuban authorities denied her a permission to leave the country. She therefore recorded a video message for the panel and the audience of the discussion which we reproduce here with her permission.

Yoani Sánchez blogs at
http://www.desdecuba.com/generaciony

The Cuba Country Report of the Bertelsmann Stiftung´s Transformation Index (BTI) is available at
http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/Cuba

The BTI offers in-depth assessments of the status of political and economic development in 128 countries -- against the normative background of a constitutional democracy and socially responsible market economy -- as well as an evaluation of the quality of its political management. Thus it provides the framework for an exchange of best practices among agents of reform. The backbone of the BTI's comprehensive and standardized analysis are detailed country reports. Each country report is written by an external expert on each country and then reviewed by a second local expert from the examined country. Each country´s scores then undergo a regional and interregional comparison and calibration process, after which they are subjected to final review and approval by the BTI-Board -- a team of esteemed scholars and development professionals. The BTI´s standardized analysis allows for a targeted comparison of reform policies. Its unique body of data aids in assessing and comparing the successes and failures of developing and transformation states.

For more information on the BTI please visit
http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/en

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• Bertelsmann Stiftung
• Yoani Sánchez
• Generación Y
• Cuba
• Internet
• Blogger
• Frankfurt Book Fair
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of expression
• Democracy
• Latin America