ECRI Expert Seminar on combating racism while respecting freedom of expression

16-17 November 2006
Strasbourg, Human Rights Building
Salle de la Direction

PROGRAMME

Moderator: Professor Eva SMITH ASMUSSEN, Chair of ECRI


SESSION 1: Setting the frame
9:00	Welcome by Mr Philippe BOILLAT, Director General of Human Rights, Council of Europe
9:15 – 9:45	Combating racism while respecting freedom of expression: the challenges ahead - Ms Isil GACHET, Executive Secretary to ECRI - Ms Jolien SCHUKKING, Chair of the Committee of Experts for the Development of Human Rights of the Council of Europe - Ms Agnes CALLAMARD, Executive Director, Article 19 - Mr Aidan WHITE, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists
9:45 – 10:30	Discussion
10:30 – 10:45	Coffee Break

Moderator: Ms Winnie SORGDRAGER, Vice-Chair of ECRI


SESSION 2: The destructive power of racist and discriminatory speech and expression: exploring the extent and the context
10:45 – 11:00	Racist discourse: a powerful tool for fostering and perpetuating ideologies of racism and racial discrimination - Professor Teun A. van DIJK, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
11:00 – 11:30	Racist and discriminatory expression in specific contexts: - Political sphere: Professor Bronislaw GEREMEK, member of the European Parliament - Media: Mr Andrea BONANNI, La Repubblica - Internet: Mr Yaman AKDENIZ, Director of Cyber-Rights and Cyber-Liberties
11:30 – 13:00	Discussion
13:00 – 14:30	Lunch Break

Moderator: Ms Sandra COLIVER, Senior Legal Officer for Freedom of Information and Expression, Open Society Justice Initiative, Open Society Institute


SESSION 3: Defending freedom of expression and the right to be free from racism and racial discrimination: legal standards
14:30 – 14:45	International and European legal standards for combating racist expression - Mr Tarlach MCGONAGLE, Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam
14:45 – 15:00	The case law of the European Court of Human Rights - Ms Françoise TULKENS, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights
15:00 – 15:20	The legislative framework and judicial review concerning racist and discriminatory expression in a selected number of European countries - Professor Andras SAJO, Chair of Comparative Constitutional Programs, Legal Studies Department, Central European University
15:20 – 16:30	Discussion
16:30 – 16:45	Coffee Break

Moderator: Professor Gün KUT, member of ECRI


SESSION 4: Combating racism while respecting freedom of expression: policy responses I
16:45 – 17:00	Conclusions to be drawn from ECRI’s monitoring work - Professor Eva SMITH ASMUSSEN, Chair of ECRI
17:00 – 17:15	The recording and monitoring of racist expression: the challenges ahead - Ms Beate WINKLER, Director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC)
17:15 – 18:00	Discussion
18.00 – 19.00	Reception

17 November 2006
Moderator: Mr Matthias TRAIMER, Member of the Steering Committee on the Media and New Communication Services (CDMC) of the Council of Europe


SESSION 5: Combating racism while respecting freedom of expression: policy responses II
9:00 – 9:20	Education and training: Empowering minority groups - Mr Rui MONTEIRO, More Colour in the Media, Chairman of the Nordic Multiethnic Media Association (NORDSAM), Director of Invandrer TV Reporting diversity - Ms Milica PESIC, Director, Media Diversity Institute
9:20 – 10:00	Discussion
10:00 – 10:20	Self-regulation: Political sphere - Mr Ed van THIJN, member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Media - Ms Dunja MIJATOVIC, Vice-Chairperson of the European Platform of Regulatory Authorities (EPRA) and Director of the Broadcasting Division in the Communications Regulatory Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina
10:20 – 11:00	Discussion
11:00 – 11:30	Coffee Break

Moderator: Mr Nils MUIZNIEKS, member of ECRI


SESSION 6: Towards a common strategy
11:30 – 11:50	Presentation of the main findings by the Rapporteur of the seminar - Mr Michael HEAD, member of ECRI
11:50 – 12:30	Discussion
12:30	Closing of the seminar