Democracy has been a fundamental objective and receiving functional support under the broader umbrella of the United Nations. UNDEF (United Nations Democracy Fund) has listed 65 projects, including 10 in the Arab world, to receive funding during the current round of disbursements to support democratization efforts. Immediately following the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and "Iron Curtain," there was much anticipation that the globe was turning rapidly toward democracy and greater openness, or perhaps a "new world order." During my tenure as Bosnia's Ambassador to the United Nations a movement began to take shape under the broad title of "emerging" or "New or Restored Democracies." Global conferences were held to broaden mutual support and what was seen as the new trend. Unfortunately our optimism may have been too high or perhaps premature. In some regions, as Latin America, there is an irreversible trend. In the Arab World maybe it has taken more than two decades (and perhaps new communications technology) to progress. As can be seen from the above "World Map" immediately following WWII and when the United Nations came into existence, it was a much simpler world based upon the now outdated notion of "spheres of influence," and domination by old colonial powers and/or rising big powers. Even the term "new democracy" was perverted by Mao to define the absolute rule of an elite purporting to speak on behalf of the proletariat. Democracy has continued to evolve and is escaping the more narrow definitions some would impose parochially. Democracy needs open societies to be more than mere rhetoric. And, besides nurturing, we need to understand that it can be chaotic, even messy. Practical and functional projects are catching up with the ambitions for freedom, including these initiatives/projects from the United Nations. (Following from UN News Centre). Of the projects that pre-qualified for funding, 34 per cent are in Africa, 23 per cent in Asia and 15 per cent in the Arab world, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, according to the latest issue of the UNDEF newsletter, released today. Thirty-two per cent of the proposals are in community development, followed by 26 per cent in women’s empowerment; 15 per cent in youth; 9 per cent in media; 8 in strengthening governance; 6 per cent in rule of law and human rights; and 3 per cent in tools. Overall, 20 per cent specifically address the needs of marginalized communities. Funding for the proposals, estimated at about $14 million, is now subject to approval by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and to a successful negotiation about the project documents between UNDEF and each shortlisted applicant. UNDEF received a record 3,754 project proposals for its fifth round of funding – almost twice as many as the average in previous years. The proposals came from organizations in 149 countries, the majority of them local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 230 proposals originated from North Africa and the Middle East. The shortlist is the product of a thorough process of assessment, quality vetting, due diligence and lessons learned from previous rounds. The proposals were first vetted by a team of six independent international assessors. The criteria used to assess the quality of the proposals include: impact, the capacity to promote inclusiveness and gender equality, prospects for successful implementation, track record, technical soundness, value for money and prospects of sustainability beyond the project duration. UNDEF was established by the Secretary-General in 2005 as a UN General Trust Fund to support democratization efforts around the world. It supports projects that strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. Related Reports: ---"Translating Revolution to Freedom" - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/egypt-translating-revolution-to-freedom/26146 ---"UN Women, From-To" - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/un-womenfrom-to/25110 ---"Haiti Elections-Clinton- Winner & Loser" - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/haiti-elections-clinton-winner-loser/26055 By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Face Book at "Diplomatically Incorrect" Twitter - DiplomaticallyX