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Video contest to mark 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
The OSCE has launched a video contest to highlight civil society initiatives to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain.
OSCE BackgroundOSCE and civil societyFrom the very start of the OSCE as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) in 1975, the participating States declared their commitment to "promote and encourage the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and freedoms all of which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person".  The OSCE at workVideo contest to mark 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin WallThe OSCE has launched a video contest to highlight civil society initiatives to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain. Initiated and financed by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the OSCE, with the support of the Greek OSCE Chairmanship, the contest aims to raise awareness about the importance of civic participation and highlight positive examples of civil society in action. The winners will get a trip to Vienna to attend high-profile events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain on 5 and 6 November. The winning short videos will be shown at a special exhibition on 5 November and showcased on the OSCE's YouTube channel and website. The contest is open to all residents in the OSCE area between the ages of 18 and 30. Students, journalists and civil society members are particularly encouraged to enter. The deadline for entries is 2 October. Contest details can be found on the OSCE website: http://www.osce.org/item/39260.html. Contact: Sonya.Yee AT osce.org OSCE and civil societyFrom the very start of the OSCE as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) in 1975, the participating States declared their commitment to "promote and encourage the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and freedoms all of which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person". In January 1989, the States affirmed their pledge to "respect the right of their citizens to contribute actively, individually or in association with others, to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms". That year bore witness to the courage and determination of Europe's citizens, who opened the path to freedom, democracy and true participation in the development of their societies. The Berlin Wall began to fall on 9 November, an historic event that symbolized the end of the Cold War and the emergence of a Europe whole and free, calling for a new beginning. According to political scientist Vladimir Tismaneanu, "the road to 1989-1991 was prepared by the less visible, often marginal, but critically significant in the long run, workings of what we call now civil society". Twenty years after the historic events of 1989, the OSCE continues to recognize the important role civil society plays in fostering stability, security and respect for human rights. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights hosts the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM), Europe's largest human rights and democratization conference, which provides civil society groups the important opportunity to discuss challenges with government representatives on an equal footing. The HDIM has been held annually for more than a decade and attracts hundreds of government representatives, international experts, non-governmental organizations and human rights activists. The HDIM plenary sessions review the progress made over the past year by participating States in realizing human dimension commitments which were adopted by consensus at prior OSCE Summits or Ministerial meetings. The value placed on NGO participation is one of the facets that sets the HDIM apart from other high-level human rights conferences. For NGOs from states where civil society is weak and constrained, the HDIM can be one of the few opportunities they have to make their voices heard before an international audience. Many NGOs organize events that take place on the sidelines of the HDIM. In contrast to the more formal plenary sessions, these smaller meetings enable more in-depth and lively discussions. Equally important for many participants is the chance for informal briefings. The HDIM is a chance to meet with delegations to the OSCE, and NGOs also use the meeting to form networks with similar organizations and exchange ideas and experiences. This year the HDIM will take place from 28 September to 9 October. Contact: Jens.Eschenbaecher AT odihr.pl OSCE anti-trafficking chief hosts Alliance conference against modern-day slaveryAll OSCE participating States are affected by human trafficking, either as countries of origin, transit or destination. This crime ranks as the third largest source of income for organized crime (exceeded only by arms and drugs trafficking) and is the fastest growing form of international crime. The Office of the Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings has organized this conference to come up with cross-cutting solutions to address the economic, social and political root causes and demand for commercial sex and labour exploitation. An exclusive video address by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and keynote addresses by three UN Special Rapporteurs will start a discussion on how to tackle a criminal activity estimated to make around $31 billion a year. The impact of the global financial crisis will also be discussed with prominent experts and practitioners from the World Bank, the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration. The conference includes a special panel on the media's role in the prevention of enslavement. The Emmy Award-winning investigative documentary "Sex Slaves" will be screened, and the director, Ric Bienstock, will explain how she covered the "ground zero" of the sex trade. Photographer Dana Popa will discuss her "Not Natasha" photo project, which tells the story of 14 sex trafficking survivors in Moldova. Conference trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/osce Conference website: http://www.osce.org/conferences/prevention_09.html Contact: Blanca.Tapia AT osce.org Roma teaching assistants start new school year in SerbiaTwenty-six new Roma teaching assistants have started the new school year following an agreement between the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Education Ministry. The agreement includes a grant of some 150,000 euros to cover the salaries of the assistants until October 2010. The assistants work with Roma students in elementary schools across Serbia. The OSCE Mission will also provide operational support to the Education Ministry, including assisting the professional development of the Roma teaching assistants and other teaching staff. The Roma Teaching Assistants project was launched at the start of the 2006 school year by the OSCE Mission, supported by the European Commission. There are some 50 Roma teaching assistants in 48 primary schools in total. Contact: Ivana.Jovanovic AT osce.org OSCE to develop good practices guide for police, Roma communitiesRoma, Sinti, and Traveller communities are found throughout the OSCE region, and with some 7,000,000 to 9,000,000 people, they form the largest minority in Europe. A large number of these groups suffer from discrimination and segregation in all spheres of public life, including in interactions with the police. The OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit is developing a guide on "Policing and Roma and Sinti: Good Practices in Building Trust and Understanding" with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues. The publication will serve as a reference of good practices for improving relations between the police and Roma, Sinti and Traveller communities. Areas covered include legislation and policy development, recruitment and training, and initiatives to build partnerships with communities. Expert meetings will be held in Vienna to share and discuss experiences with police practitioners, on 28 September, and with civil society and government institutions on 28 and 29 October. For more information see www.polis.osce.org. Contact: press AT osce.org OSCE Mission to Skopje supports activities to improve trust between police and Roma communitiesThe OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje has launched a project aimed at improving trust and confidence between the police and Roma community in the municipalities of Bitola, Kochani and Shuto Orizari, all of which have large Roma populations. Project activities include training courses for Roma families on safety and crime prevention, with the aim of raising awareness about the role of the police, domestic violence and drug abuse. Local police, in co-operation with Roma non-governmental organizations in the three municipalities, will select Roma families which have at least one family member who has been subject to criminal proceedings to take part. Nine workshops will be held in total, and each aims to reach six Roma families with three to four family members each taking part. The country will take over the rotating annual presidency of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 starting from 1 July 2011. Contact: Eberhard.Laue AT osce.org OSCE Mission in Kosovo supports Ombudsperson to reach out to communitiesThe Ombudsperson Institution in Kosovo has been providing legal aid services for more than nine years. However, public confidence in the institution, especially that of the non-Albanian communities, has varied. To help set and maintain positive attitudes toward the work of the Ombudsperson institution in protecting human rights, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo is supporting the institution with a public information campaign targeting all Kosovo communities, in particular the non-majority ones. The focus of the campaign is on strengthening relations between the Ombudsperson and non-majority communities, as well as promoting the work of its field and sub-offices, including the one in northern Mitrovice/Mitrovica. The public information campaign, which will continue until 2 November, includes multilingual TV and radio advertisements, billboards, posters and press conferences to inform the communities about the Ombudsperson's mandate and ways to seek remedies if they believe their human rights have been violated by the authorities. Contact: Edita.Bucaj AT osce.org OSCE Office in Yerevan supports public oversight of penitentiariesPublic monitoring can help to ensure a transparent and accountable penitentiary system. The OSCE Office in Yerevan, in partnership with the Armenian Justice Ministry, has supported oversight of penitentiary institutions by a Group of Public Observers since 2004. A second group of observers was formed in co-operation with the police in 2006. The OSCE Office supported initial capacity-building training on human rights monitoring and reporting for both groups, which monitor the detention centres and assess healthcare, sanitary conditions, food quality and treatment of detainees. The Group of Public Observers under the Justice Ministry released its latest report in early September, presenting the results of monitoring of pre-trial detention centres and penitentiary institutions in 2008. The report noted positive changes including restructuring to bring penitentiaries into line with legislative requirements and to improve contacts of the detainees and prisoners with the outside world, as well as continued areas of concern, such as overcrowding due to ineffective parole procedures. Report by the Justice Ministry Group of Public Observers in English: http://www.osce.org/documents/oy/2009/09/39454_en.pdf The Police Group of Public Observers issued its report in May 2009. Contact: Gohar.Avagyan AT osce.org |
Events CalendarVIENNA, 11 SeptemberPublic-private expert workshop on preventing the abuse of non-profit organizations for terrorist financingJointly organized by the Action against Terrorism Unit and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the workshop will focus on the international legal framework to combat terrorist financing and showcase public-private partnership initiatives to address the vulnerability of the non-profit sector to terrorist abuse. The event is organized in partnership with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the United States and the Basel Institute on Governance. Contact: press AT osce.org OSLO, 14 SeptemberAssessment of the parliamentary electionsThe OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has sent an Election Assessment Mission for Norway's 14 September parliamentary elections. Contact: Jens.Eschenbaecher AT odihr.pl VIENNA, 14-15 SeptemberPrevention of modern slavery: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cureThis high-level Alliance against Trafficking in Persons conference will showcase efforts to prevent human trafficking by pursuing the human rights-based approach, including UN Special Rapporteurs. The focus on prevention is especially relevant in the context of the global financial crisis, also for assessing and finding ways to decrease the impact of the crisis on trafficking in human beings, and to address the demand for cheap and exploitative labour and commercial sex. Contact: Blanca.Tapia AT osce.org CHISINAU, 15 September and TIRASPOL, 16 SeptemberPublic lecture on power sharing modelsThe OSCE Mission to Moldova public lecture series on "Autonomy, Federalization, Devolution: Power Sharing Models in the OSCE Area" continues with UK law professor St John Bates speaking on "Dependencies: the Isle of Man and others". Contact: Matti.Sidoroff AT osce.org SARAJEVO, 15-16 OctoberBuilding a new South East Europe - role and potential of the mediaHosted by the Regional Cooperation Council and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the conference brings together media professionals and journalists from South-Eastern Europe and will be opened by Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General, Ambassador Gary D. Robbins, the Head of the OSCE Mission, and Claus Hausgaard Sorensen, Director General, DG Communication, European Commission. Working sessions will include the role and responsibility of the media, bringing EU ideas closer to the South East European public, and regional co-operation through promotion of the trust-based societies concept and media independence. Contact: Mersiha.Causevic-Podzic AT osce.org MINSK, 16-17 SeptemberWorkshop on democratic policingPromoting democratic policing is the focus of this regional workshop which will bring together police experts, prosecutors and representatives of non-governmental organizations from 20 countries to discuss democratic policing in the context of the use of police powers during arrest, detention, custody and public order management, as well as the mechanisms and instruments for controlling police activities. The event is organized by the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit in co-operation with the Belarus Interior Ministry and the OSCE Office in Minsk. www.polis.osce.org VIENNA, 22-23 SeptemberOSCE meeting to review the OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its supplementary decisionsThe meeting will bring together experts from the 56 OSCE participating States, as well as representatives from international organizations and think tanks dealing with SALW, to review the OSCE Document on SALW and its supplementary decisions with a view to exploring possible further actions. Contact: press AT osce.org VIENNA, 24 SeptemberPresentation of the annual evaluation report on the implementation of the Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender EqualityThe OSCE Secretary General will present the evaluation report to the Permanent Council. The aim of the report is to analyze to what extent the goals, activities and tasks of the Action Plan have been implemented, to identify challenges to implementation, and to provide recommendations to address these. Contact: press AT osce.org. BERLIN, 27 SeptemberAssessment of the parliamentary electionsThe OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights will send an Election Assessment Mission for Germany's 27 September parliamentary elections. Contact: Jens.Eschenbaecher AT odihr.pl LISBON, 27 SeptemberAssessment of the parliamentary electionsThe OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights will send an Election Assessment Mission for Portugal's 27 September parliamentary elections. Contact: Jens.Eschenbaecher AT odihr.pl WARSAW, 28 September-9 OctoberHuman Dimension Implementation MeetingThe Human Dimension Implementation Meeting is the largest human rights conference in Europe. For two weeks, OSCE delegations, intergovernmental agencies and NGOs come together to discuss the implementation of OSCE commitments on the protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. Contact: Jens.Eschenbaecher AT odihr.pl BUCHAREST, 5-6 OctoberConference on the security implications of climate change in the OSCE regionOrganized by the Greek OSCE Chairmanship, the Romanian Foreign Ministry and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the conference will bring together experts and representatives of participating States, international organizations and institutions to discuss the ways climate change may have an impact on security in the OSCE area, and to develop tools for co-operation. The conference aims to foster dialogue and international co-operation on the security aspects of climate change. Contact: press AT osce.org 5-9 OctoberOnline Central Asia regional workshop on "Good Practices in Basic Police Training - Curricula Aspects"The OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit organized this online workshop to discuss possible recommendations for basic police training curriculums in Central Asian participating States with the aim of enhancing the overall value and effectiveness of their national training programmes. Contact: Viacheslav Vorobiev AT osce.org ATHENS, 9-12 October2009 Fall Meetings of the OSCE Parliamentary AssemblyThe theme of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Fall Meetings is "Energy Security and Environment". The Meetings also include a session of the Assembly's Standing Committee of Heads of Delegations and a meeting of the Mediterranean Forum. Contact: Klas AT oscepa.dk BISHKEK, 15-16 October11th Central Asia Media ConferenceOrganized by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, this year's conference will focus on journalism education, and will offer a forum for journalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to exchange professional experiences and views. Participants will explore existing opportunities to boost media professionalism, identify new challenges, particularly the influence of the modern information and communication technologies, discuss best practices in journalism education, and exchange experiences. The conference will draft and adopt joint recommendations with the aim of transforming them into practical actions. Further needs for capacity-building and training, as well as concrete follow-up activities, will also be identified. Contact: Ana.Karlsreiter AT osce.org VIENNA, 19-20 OctoberEngaging with the media in countering terrorismThis OSCE-wide expert workshop will focus on co-operating with the media in countering terrorism, and is aimed at exchanging information, lessons learned and good practices. Participants will seek to identify ways in which the OSCE, with a multidimensional approach, can enhance the impact of existing efforts while respecting OSCE commitments, especially in the areas of freedom of expression and information as well as freedom of the media. Contact: press AT osce.org VIENNA, 28-29 October and 29-30 OctoberSecond annual meeting of the national points of contact on combating hate crimes 2009 Police Experts Meeting on hate crimes and effective law enforcement co-operationThe two-day meeting organized by the Greek OSCE Chairmanship and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) brings together National Points of Contact (NPCs) on combating hate crimes to exchange information, discuss priorities and strengthen co-operation between ODIHR and the NPCs. The event will be immediately followed by the OSCE annual Police Experts Meeting on "Hate Crimes and Effective Law Enforcement Co-operation". This meeting will focus on the role of police in preventing and responding to hate crimes, special investigative techniques and approaches as well as inter-agency and international co-operation. Contact: press AT osce.org |
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The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe works for stability, prosperity and democracy in 56 states through political dialogue about shared values and through practical work that makes a lasting difference. www.osce.org/press/ The OSCE Highlights is published by the OSCE Secretariat. Please visit the OSCE online photo archive http://www.osce.org/photos/ |
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