Press Release

"The news of the worst terror attack in modern history, committed against the people and the United States of America, has been received with shock, sorrow and anger," says Bengt Säve-Söderbergh, Secretary-General of International IDEA, in a statement released today following the 11th September terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C.

"This crime is also a vicious and cowardly attack on the ideals of an open society. The objective of terrorism is to damage the institutions of democracy. Therefore we can all be seen as victims. These horrible events must also serve as a strong message to all of us that efforts to preserve an open society and to make democracy a reality must be conducted with an even stronger determination. We shall not surrender to a world of terror, to a world where bullets mean more than ballots. We appeal to all people and leaders of the world to learn from this historic tragedy, to renew the fight against terrorism and for the ideals of democracy."