The European Association for Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA)
ALDA was established in 1999 at the initiative of the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to coordinate and support a network of Local Democracy Agencies which was established in the early 1990s. It remains one of its supporting programmes. It is the umbrella organisation of the Local Democracy Agencies which are self-sustainable, locally registered NGOs that act as promoters of good governance and local self-government, being a membership based organisation gathering more than 300 members (including Local Authorities, Associations of Local Authorities and non-governmental organisations) coming from more than 40 countries. In the framework of promoting good governance and citizen participation at the local level ALDA focuses on various themes, such as European integration, decentralisation, civic initiatives and volunteering, human rights and sustainable economic development.