On Monday, March 2, 2015, PILDAT team visited International IDEA headquarters in Stockholm to interact with a multi-faceted group of IIDEA experts from across State of Democracy, Electoral Process and Political Parties programmes of IIDEA.

The International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance � IIDEA (www.idea.int) is an inter-governmental organisation, with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, that works to support sustainable democracy worldwide.

PILDAT has been following the work of IIDEA and since 2008 using the IIDEA-developed international framework to assess quality of democracy in Pakistan.

Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, PILDAT President, and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, PILDAT Joint Director, met and interacted with the IIDEA team led by Ms. Keboitse Machangana, Director Global Programmes. From the IIDEA State of Democracy Progrmme, Ms. Brechtje Kemp, Programme Officer and Ms. Melida Jimenez, Programme Officer, shared developments in the programme while Dr. Annette Monika Fath-Lihic, Senior Programme Manager Electoral Processes programme at IIDEA discussed areas of mutual interest and future collaboration between PILDAT and IIDEA. A very useful interaction on Political Parties programme of IIDEA and how it corresponds to PILDAT�s work on Development of Political Parties and Leadership was held between Mr. Sam Van der Staak, Senior Programme Manager.

The two organizations have agreed to explore opportunities of collaboration on mutual areas of interest and work in the near future.