On September 16, 2015 theOriental Institute of the CAS organized an international conference, which addressed the question of the meanings of democracy in the Middle East, Asia, and Russia and the role that democracy plays in the discourse of the political elites and non-state actors in these regions. The case studies at the conference described the situation in Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, China and Russia. Democracy plays a crucial role in the efforts of the Western world to promote peace and stability and maintain international security. However, in recent years, countries such as China and Russia have explicitly offered an alternative interpretation of democracy to the public, both domestically and internationally, one which builds on national, cultural and political traditions and contradicts the claims for universality common in theWest. Furthermore, non-universalistic discourses on democracy have become popular among diverse non-state actors, such as Islamicmovements, non-formal authorities, or civil society across the Middle East and Central Asia. These developments have important implications for both the efforts aimed at the promotion of democracy and for the advance of democracy in general. and Věra Exnerová.
The Academy Assembly, the highest body of the ASCR responsible for the topmost priority decisions related to the ASCR, held its XXXVI Meeting in the Municipal House in Vinohrady on April 22, 2010. Professor Drahoš, in his presidential remarks to the assembly, summed up his views: “The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic intends to continue its efforts to stabilize its position among public institutions oriented towards science and research for the benefits of all society. Science deals with the basic intellectual needs of people and fundamentally influences the cultural and economical level of national society.” and Marina Hužvárová, Gabriela Adámková.