Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers

Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers: Armenia succeeds Andorra

Strasbourg, 16 May 2013 - The 123rd session of the Committee of Ministers was held today in Strasbourg with Gilbert Saboya Sunyé, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Andorra, in the Chair. At the end of the meeting, the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers was passed by Andorra to Armenia.

The Ministers' discussions chiefly revolved around a report by the Secretary General on strengthening the impact of the actions undertaken by the Council of Europe concerning democracy, human rights and rule of law. They encouraged the Secretary General to continue his efforts to optimise the functioning and co-ordination of the Organisation's monitoring mechanisms while taking care that better use was made of the conclusions drawn from the monitoring actions. For that purpose, the Ministers invited the Secretary General to present them regularly with a situation report on democracy, human rights and rule of law in Europe founded on the conclusions of the monitoring mechanisms, accompanied by definite proposals for action.

Co-operation with the European Union and Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions were also on the meeting agenda.

During the session, the Committee of Ministers also adopted Protocol No. 15 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Protocol will be opened for signature by member states on 24 June 2013.

Armenia will chair the Committee of Ministers for the next six months.

Back 15-16.04.03.2013 - Andorran Minister of education and youth inaugurates a seminar on young people's role in conflict transformation and intercultural dialogue

15-16.04.2013 - The Andorran Minister of Education and Youth, Roser Suñé, inaugurated a joint seminar on Monday involving the Youth Peace Ambassadors, experts in the youth sector and young Andorrans, which took place at the Congress Centre in Andorra la Vella. This activity, organised in the context of the Andorran Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, was centred on "The role of young people in conflict transformation and intercultural dialogue''. It brought together some thirty young participants aged 18-26 from Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Turkey

The inaugural session was held in the presence of Mr David Baró, Mayor of La Massana and member of the Andorran delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Ms Ólöf Olafsdottir, Council of Europe Director of Democratic Citizenship and Participation and Mr Michael O'Brien, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
In her statement, Ms Roser Suñé, Minister of Education and Youth of Andorra, emphasises that the Youth Peace Ambassadors take training over several years during which they not only participate in several seminars on human rights and the culture of peace where they familiarise themselves with the necessary tools for resolving conflicts, but are also asked to follow courses on the Internet and to work with an association or organisation in their country through which they may raise awareness in their community and pass on what they have learned. In this way, they become mediators and defenders of Council of Europe values.

The seminar with the Andorran young people lasted for two days, and was followed by a Youth Peace Ambassadors' training seminar held from Wednesday 17 to Sunday 21 April.

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