The Institute of Government and Politics of the University of Tartu opens a photo exhibition “Cultivating Democracy beyond the EU” to introduce the role of electoral observers and the organization of elections in different parts of the world. The exhibition is unveiled on Tuesday, November 3 at 16.00.
Displayed in the exhibition are 56 photos taken during more than 20 electoral observation missions in Africa, Asia and America. The photos give a comprehensive overview of the process of organizing an election, including pre-electoral activities such as campaigning and voter registration as well as balloting and vote counting on the election day.
Most photos are taken by the Estonian members of the EU electoral observation missions. Additional information accompanies the photos to explain the different tasks and working environments of electoral observers. For example, the exhibition reveals that the observer team can never interfere with the election process, but at the same time, their presence can improve confidence in the local system.
Vello Pettai, Professor of Comparative Politics, who has been an electoral observer himself, invites everyone with an interest in elections or different cultures to attend the exhibition: “It is an extremely interesting and diverse picture of how elections are conducted in countries distant from Estonia. The photos give ample information about the local situation and traditions.”