Cyprus Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Sotiroula Charalambous has expressed the need for safeguarding social cohesion in the short and the long term.

Charalambous was speaking during a Council of Europe Forum for the Future of Democracy, entitled “The Interdependence of Democracy and Social Cohesion: strengthening representation and democratic participation through public dialogue and civic engagement“, taking place today and Friday in the coastal town of Limassol.

In her opening statement at the introductory panel debate: “Fighting the crisis without undermining social cohesion: can Europe meet the challenge?“, Minister stressed that “the economic crisis is indeed a challenge to social cohesion and it is accompanied by other challenges that have been well identified in the Council of Europe High-Level Task Force Report“.

She said that the main challenges to social cohesion identified in the Report are globalization, demographic change, greater migration and cultural diversity, political changes and economic and social change.

Charalambous noted that social cohesion is a fundamental determinant of whether people will benefit from globalisation and changes and be protected from the risks associated with them.

The Forum is organized by the Council of Europe (CoE) in cooperation with the Ministries of Labour and Social Security and Foreign Affairs with participation of more than 200 delegates.