Speeches from the international conference "Minority Protection at a Crossroads" arranged on 31 March 2015 in Mariehamn available as audio files.International Conference “Minority Protection at a Crossroads”
Venue: Alandica Conference Venue, Mariehamn, Åland Islands
Time and date: Tuesday 31 March 2015 at 9.00–16.00
Organizer: The Åland Islands Peace Institute, with support from the Council of Europe and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Programme
9.00-9.05 Opening of the conference and welcoming words by Ms. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute
9.05 –9.10 Welcoming words by Ms. Marja Ruotanen, Director of Human Dignity and Equality, Council of Europe
9.10-9.20 General introduction to the thematic of the conference by Ms. Maria Ochoa-Llido, Head of Anti-discrimination and Social Cohesion Department, Council of Europe
SESSION I
9.20–9.40 Conceptual keynote: The Framework Convention 20 years on: challenges in minority protection in an ever changing Europe
Mr. Francesco Palermo, President, Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Council of Europe “The Framework Convention 20 years on: achievements, challenges and ways forward”
9.40 –10.20 Panel discussion: Minority protection in Europe at a crossroads
Moderator: Mr. Gunnar Jansson, Member of the Åland Parliament
Ms. Petra Roter, University of Ljubljana, 1st Vice President Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: Minority protection in the context of nationalism and Europeanisation
Ms. Nina Nordström, Director, Human Rights Policy Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland: Challenges in promoting diversity and minority rights in Europe today
Mr. Johan Häggman, multilingualism expert: What the European Union can and should do for minority languages
10.20–10.50 Discussion
SESSION II
11.20–11.40 Conceptual keynote: Minority protection and conflict prevention
Ms. Astrid Thors, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities “The High Commissioner on National Minorities approach to conflicts involving minorities”
11.40-12.25 Panel discussion: Minority protection in changing contexts
Moderator: Ms. Maria Ochoa-Llido, Head of Anti-discrimination and Social Cohesion Department, Council of Europe
Mr. Antti Korkeakivi, Chief, Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva: Advancing minority protection in Europe through creative use of human rights mechanisms in changing contexts
Mr. Benedikt Harzl, Dr. iur., University of Graz: Challenges of minority protection in Georgia
Ms. Natalia Mirimanova, Ph.D., adviser to international organizations in the domain of peacebuilding: Minority concerns in Crimea and Ukraine
Ms. Sirpa Rautio, Director, Finnish Human Rights Centre: Possibilities and challenges for national human rights institutions and international organisations
12.25–12.55 Discussion
SESSION III
14.30–14.50 Conceptual keynote: The role of monitoring organs promoting minority protection in Europe
Mr. Stefan Oeter, Professor of International Law, University of Hamburg and former president of the Expert Committee of the Language Charter
14.50–15.35 Panel discussion: The independence of monitoring bodies at times of resistance to minority and human rights
Moderator: Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, Chair to the Rapporteur Group on Human Rights of the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe
Mr. Alan Phillips, former Presidentof the ACFC (2006-10)
Ms. Vesna Crnić-Grotić, Chair, Committee of Experts for the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, Council of Europe
Ms. Päivi Kaukoranta, Director General for Legal Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Ambassador Anders Rönquist, Director General for Legal Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden
15.35-15.50 Concluding notes and final general discussion
Moderator: Ms. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark
Mr. Rainer Hofmann, professor for international law, University of Frankfurt, former President of the ACFC(1998-2004 and 2010-2012)
15.50–16.00 Closing of the conference
Ms. Marja Ruotanen, Director of Human Dignity and Equality, Council of Europe and Ms.Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Director of the Åland Islands Peace Institut
