Dr. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, associate professor in international law and director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute, has been elected as the new President of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities within the Council of Europe. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark was elected as expert in respect of Sweden for two mandate periods, first 2002-2006 and then also for 2010-2014.
The President shall be chairing in the coming two years the comprehensive monitoring work in issues pertaining to persons belonging to national minorities around Europe, i.e. in the 39 States that have ratified the Framework Convention as well as with regard to the international administration of UNMIK in Kosovo. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark has worked with issues concerning minorities since the late 1980-ies, engaged in research, international organisations as well as civil society efforts.
The work of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention, including Opinions on inter alia Finland and Sweden, can be followed at the homepage of the European Council: www.coe.int/minorities.
A podcast interview with Spiliopoulou Åkermark can be listened to here.