A year after Burma’s Saffron Revolution, the International Burmese Monks Organization (IBMO), a group of monks living in exile, is working to spread the word about conditions in their country.

»Video: Watch Striving for Democracy, a brief NDI-produced documentary on the challenges facing the IBMO and the Global Monk Tour's stop in Jakarta.

At a recent NDI forum, central players in the Northern Ireland and South Africa peace negotiations talked about their participation in 2007 and 2008 Helsinki talks on Iraq that resulted in an agreement signed by 37 leaders representing all political factions in the country. Drawing parallels between the conflicts in Iraq and their own countries, the speakers reflected on how their experiences allowed them to engage the Iraqis on constructive frameworks for moving toward peace.

Speakers representing NDI, the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) commended Angolans for conducting largely successful parliamentary elections Sept. 5 despite some procedural and logistical challenges.

iKNOW Politics’ third E-discussion, focusing on financing women in politics, will run until October 29. Through this virtual conversation, women and their supporters can share strategies, experiences and examples on how to overcome the barriers that women face when trying to finance bids for elective office as well as take advantage of www.iknowpolitics.org, the premier online network for women in politics.

Michael Johnston is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science and division director for social sciences at Colgate University. He served as founding co-editor of the journal Corruption and Reform from 1985 through 1996, and with the late Arnold J. Heidenheimer, co-edited Political Corruption: Concepts and Contexts (2002). His forthcoming books include Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power, and Democracy (2005) and an edited anthology on civil society and reform. Dr.