Embassy Events 2003
OSCE to Host Human Rights Conference in Warsaw
1 October 2003 |
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More than 500 international experts, government representatives and
human rights activists will gather in Poland from October 6 to 17 to
take part in this year's session of Europe's largest human rights and
democratization conference.
The conference's main organizer is the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
Ambassador
Pamela Hyde Smith will lead the U.S. delegation. It will also include
five U.S. Congressmen, the U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE and the
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
Among
the opening speakers will be the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and
Netherlands Foreign Minister, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; Polish Foreign
Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz; the acting UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Bertram Ramcharan; and Ambassador Christian Strohal, who
took over as the Director of the ODIHR earlier this year.
The
two-week meeting will review the progress made by the 55 participating
States of the OSCE in implementing their international commitments in
the field of human rights and democratization, including commitments to
respect fundamental freedoms, conduct democratic elections, combat
trafficking in human beings, and ban the use of torture.
The
annual OSCE human rights conference is a unique forum for open
discussion and dialogue on topical human rights issues among
governments and civil society representatives. This year, day-long
special sessions will be devoted to the prevention of discrimination,
racism, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism (14 October); to national
minorities (15 October); and to migrant workers (16 October).
Other
topics to be discussed include: the protection of victims of
trafficking; protecting and strengthening fundamental freedoms, such as
the freedom of expression, religion, and movement; the right to a fair
trial; and the prevention of aggressive nationalism and ethnic
cleansing. Several reports and handbooks -- on election-related issues,
the death penalty, and the handling of individual human rights
complaints -- will be presented at the meeting by the ODIHR.
Journalists
are invited to attend the opening session, which will begin on Monday,
October 6, at 10:00 in the Hotel Victoria, ul. Krolewska, Warsaw, as
well as the regular working sessions and side events.
Interviews
with key participants can be arranged upon request. Media
representatives are requested to bring their press credentials for
registration at the conference venue. For more information, please see
the conference website.
Urdur Gunnarsdottir
Spokesperson, Press and Public Information Adviser
Public Affairs Unit
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Aleje Ujazdowskie 19 00-557, Warsaw Poland
Tel.: 22 520 06 00 ext. 4162 603 683 122 (mobile)
Fax: 22 520 06 05
E-mail: Urdur.Gunnarsdottir@odihr.pl
