Conference on
What future for human rights and democracy in Europe?
The role of the Council of Europe

Paris, 11 September 2009
Assemblée Nationale, Salle Lamartine

PROGRAMME

8.45-9.30 Arrival of participants and registration

9.30-10.00 Opening session

Chair: Mr Göran Lindblad, Chairperson of the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Welcome addresses by

· Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Acting Secretary General of the Council of Europe;
· Mr Jean-Claude Mignon, Head of the French Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
· Mr Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio, former President of Portugal (video message);
· Mr Lluís Maria de Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

10.00-10.15 Coffee break

10.15-12.00 Workshop 1: Human rights and the rule of law are under threat from the world economic crisis and the fallout from various conflicts. How can we reassert them and what new insights can we draw on to help us?

Moderator: Mr Robert Parsons

Panellists:

· Ms Catherine Lalumière, President of “La Maison de l’Europe de Paris”; former Secretary General of the Council of Europe;
· Mr Vladimir Lukin, Federal Ombudsman of the Russian Federation;
· Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles, Director of the Research Centre of the “Valsain Foundation for the promotion and defense of democratic values”, former Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe

12.00–12.45 Workshop 2: The European identity is becoming increasingly diversified: how can we reconcile cultural diversity with respect for the rights of others according to principles of democratic citizenship? What are the tools at our disposal?

Moderator: Mr Vladimir Vasak

Panellists:

· Mr Günther Krug, Member of the regional Parliament of Berlin, Head of the German Delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;
· Mr Maurizio Laudi, Public Prosecutor of Asti, Italy;
· Ms Ligia Deca, President of European Students’ Union, Romania

12.45-14.15 Lunch offered by the Council of Europe

14.15–15.15 Workshop 2: [continued]

15.15-15.30 Coffee break

15.30-17.00 Workshop 3: Europe in the world: the value added of the Council of Europe to the European and universal Communities. Can a "Europe of values" serve as a model for other continents?

Moderator: Ms Kattia Hernandez Ocana

Panellists:

· Mr Seyfi Taşhan, President of the Foreign Policy Institute, Turkey;

· The moderators and panellists of the previous workshops will contribute to the debate

17.00 Summary of the debates by the Rapporteur, Mr Jean-Claude Mignon, and closing of the Conference

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After the Conference as from 5.30 p.m. H.E. Mr Alexander ORLOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in France, requests the pleasure of the company of all participants at a reception in his residence (79, rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris)