The Week Ahead: Key Events and Meetings

The 2023 North-South Prize will be awarded to Amina Bouayach and to the Global Campus of Human Rights, who were selected by the jury for their notable contributions to the defense and promotion of human rights. The Global Campus of Human Rights will be represented by its President, Judge Verónica Gómez, and its Secretary General, Manfred Nowak.

The ceremony will take place on the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, with Council of Europe Deputy Secretary-General Bjørn Berge, who will also have bilateral meetings.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on the website of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, in English and French.

More information – Contact: Panos Kakaviatos, tel. +33 3 90 21 50 27

On the occasion of the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Standing Committee, its President Theodoros Rousopoulos will deliver the opening address, followed by the addresses by Seimas Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and the first post-independence Head of State Vytautas Landsbergis.

Parliamentarians will have an exchange of views with Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis in the framework of Lithuania’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

The Standing Committee will then debate reports on “Ending the detention of ‘socially maladjusted’ persons”, “Children in the world of work: eradicating harmful child labour”, “Cultural heritage and climate change”, and “Quality education for children special education needs: challenges of the pandemic, war and digitalization”. There has also been a request for a current affairs debate on “Recent challenges to democracy in Georgia”.

At the end of the meeting, parliamentarians will participate in a hearing on “Sanctions against the Russian Federation and companies assisting with evasion”.

The Standing Committee meeting will be preceded by a working breakfast of the Women@PACE group, with the participation of Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.

More information – PACE Communication Division, tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93

20 May, Lisbon (Institute of Political Studies of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 5pm local time)

A North-South Dialogues round table on the theme “Perspectives and interregional co-operation for the abolition of the death penalty” will feature Nuno Sampaio, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal and laureates of the 2023 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe.

Sébastien Potaufeu, Council of Europe Coordinator for the abolition of the death penalty, and Ntandokayise Ndlovu, from the Working Group on the Death Penalty of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights of the African Union, also will participate in the event.

More information – Contact: Panos Kakaviatos, tel. +33 3 90 21 50 27

21 May, Strasbourg

The European Court of Human Rights will notify in writing three judgments concerning Belgium, Bulgaria and Croatia.

More information – ECHR Website, tel. +33 3 90 21 42 08

21-22 May, Helsinki

The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), David Best, will carry out a fact-finding mission to Finland. Meetings are scheduled with the relevant state authorities, Finland’s non-discrimination Ombudsman, and representatives of international organisations and NGOs. The Special Representative will also visit the Punavouri Transit Centre for refugees and the Detention Unit of the Helsinki Reception Centre of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Contact: Dušan Vojnović, tel. +33 3 90 21 56 99

22 May, Strasbourg

The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) will publish a report evaluating Czechia’s compliance with its undertakings under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which concern measures to protect and promote the use of German, Moravian Croatian, Polish, Romani and Slovak in different fields of public life.

Contact: Jaime Rodriguez, tel. +33 3 90 21 47 04

23 May, Piatra Neamț (Romania)

The Roma and Travellers Division of the Council of Europe and the Joint Programme of the European Union and Council of Europe - ROMACT “Building capacity for Roma Inclusion at Local Level” will organise a conference on “Children in situations of vulnerability: evaluations, challenges and proposed solutions”.

The main objective of the event is to take stock of the current situation of vulnerable children in Romania in accessing social services and support, health services, quality education, and to discuss challenging issues for which solutions need to be identified through close cooperation between local and national authorities. The capacities and roles of social services at local level to respond to the needs will be discussed with stakeholders from relevant ministries and government officials, as well as with civil society organisations. The event will also give the opportunity for exchanging on promising practices, expertise and initiatives through which the Council of Europe and its partners are striving to support the implementation of European human rights standards and relevant national strategies on Roma inclusion.

More information - Contact: Panos Kakaviatos, tel. +33 3 90 21 50 27

23 May, Strasbourg

The European Court of Human Rights will notify in writing 17 judgments and/or decisions concerning Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Türkiye and Ukraine.

More information – ECHR Website, tel. +33 3 90 21 42 08

24 May, Zagreb

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will participate (by video message) in the Conference “Risks and Compliance in the Age of AI” in commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of personal data protection in the Republic of Croatia and the establishment of the Croatian Data Protection Agency.

Contact: Giuseppe Zaffuto, tel. +33 6 86 32 10 24

All times are CET unless indicated otherwise.