Karin-Lis Svarre appointed new Director of Information for International IDEA

Press Release:

Karin-Lis Svarre appointed new Director of Information for International IDEA

Stockholm 9 July 1999 -- Karin-Lis Svarre, Denmark, has been appointed Director of Information for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

Ms Svarre, 52, who will take up her position 23 August 1999, has worked as Director of Information for the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) since 1996. Before that she worked as Executive Director for the Nordic/SADC Journalism Center in Maputo, Mozambique where she set up a regional training centre for journalists. Between 1991 and 1993, she was Chief of Information for the Danish Refugee Council, Copenhagen.

Ms Svarre is also a seasoned journalist who worked more than twenty years as a television anchor, and print journalist for Danish Broadcasting, DR, Politiken and Kristeligt Dagblad. She is the author and co-author of several books, including Women and Politics, Joseph bor i Soweto (Joseph lives in Soweto), and Cambodian Humanitarian Assistance and the United Nations.

The Director of Information, a new position, will manage the day-to-day programme and budget of the Information Division.

A photo of Ms Svarre is available for downloading on www.idea.int/press/press.html

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, India, Namibia, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Federation of Journalists, the International Press Institute, Parliamentarians for Global Action, and Transparency International. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.