A WEB

Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyz Republic | June 25–28, 2025

The Secretariat of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) participated in the Issyk-Kul Electoral Forum, held from June 25 to 28, 2025, in the picturesque city of Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyz Republic. The Forum was hosted by the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of the Kyrgyz Republic (CEC Kyrgyzstan) under the theme: “Modern Approaches to Electoral Participation: From Theory to Practice.”

The event served as a dynamic platform for in-depth dialogue on strengthening electoral systems and ensuring inclusive participation of all citizens in the democratic process. The Forum gathered over 100 participants from more than 12 countries, including representatives from Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of CIS member states, as well as Estonia, Georgia, India, Mongolia, and Türkiye. Delegates from Kyrgyzstan’s government and civil society, along with international organizations such as A-WEB, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Turkic States Organization, TURKPA, OSCE/ODIHR, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, and others, were also in attendance.

 President of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Sadyr Japarov, delivered a welcome message via video address, emphasizing the Forum’s role as a lasting dialogue platform for exchange among electoral authorities, civil society, and international institutions. CEC Kyrgyzstan Chairperson Mr. Tynchtyk Shainazarov highlighted the continued importance of citizen participation, stating, “When people go to vote, it means they believe in the power of their voice. That is the most important indicator of public trust in government.”

The official agenda on June 26–27 included the following key events:

1. Panel Session: Adapting International Electoral Practices to National Contexts
2. Roundtable Discussion: Best Training Methodologies for Election Organizers / Youth Participation in Electoral Processes
3. *Meeting of the CIS Advisory Board of the Heads of Election Administration Authorities

Representing the A-WEB Secretariat, Ms. Taeryung (Rita) Lee, Director of Capacity Development & Communications, delivered a presentation at the roundtable on election organizer training. Her presentation, titled “A-WEB Training Initiative – A Contribution to Strengthening the Capacity of Election Organizers on the Path to Inclusive Elections,” showcased A-WEB’s unique training model, which emphasizes demand-driven content, targeted learning for specific stakeholder groups, and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.

 Ms. Lee outlined A-WEB’s experience delivering capacity-building programs to more than 1,000 electoral officials from nearly 90 countries since the Secretariat’s establishment in the Republic of Korea in 2014. She introduced the A-WEB Action Plan Framework, which includes country reporting, problem analysis, solution design, and implementation planning—all of which are tailored to local contexts and supported through post-training follow-up.

Drawing from past examples, she shared details of A-WEB’s ICT-focused training programs for both decision-makers and technical staff, implemented regionally in local languages. She also highlighted a successful cascade training project co-organized with CEC Kyrgyzstan in 2016, where over 600 election staff across the country were trained via a Core Technical Support Group composed of regional IT officers.

The presentation concluded with examples of practical impact, including Zanzibar’s adoption of inclusive participation measures into its national budget, Mauritius’ nationwide civic education campaign, and Mongolia’s voter education program targeting youth.

In light of the challenges currently facing election bodies—such as declining public trust, political polarization, and the spread of disinformation—Ms. Lee announced A-WEB’s upcoming launch of a media literacy and counter-disinformation training program in the third quarter of 2025. This initiative aims to equip election officials with the skills and strategies needed to safeguard democratic processes in today’s evolving information environment.

The following day, the CIS Advisory Board of Heads of Election Administration Authorities convened to discuss strategic priorities for electoral cooperation and youth engagement across the Commonwealth, where Ms. Taeryung Lee from the A-WEB Secretariat and Chairperson of the Supreme Election Council of Türkiye attended as observers.

During this meeting, the Chair of the CEC Kyrgyzstan stressed the importance of youth participation, noting that nearly 44% of voters in the country are under 35. Participants endorsed a proposal to create a working group on youth electoral policy, marking a milestone for institutionalizing youth-focused cooperation.

The Issyk-Kul Forum reaffirmed the value of global cooperation in promoting transparency, professionalism, and inclusivity in electoral administration. A-WEB looks forward to continued collaboration with CEC Kyrgyzstan and its global partners to support credible and participatory elections worldwide.