European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

ECRI’s Round Table in Latvia

Reval Hotel Latvija
Riga, 19 May 2008

PROGRAMME

Latvian version (pdf)

REGISTRATION: 8:45

Moderator of the morning session: Mr Nils MUIZNIEKS, Vice-Chair of ECRI

9:00 – 9:15

OPENING

 

- Opening by Professor Eva SMITH ASMUSSEN, Chair of ECRI
- Opening Address by Mr Ilgvars KĻAVA, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

9:15 – 10:30 THEME I – ECRI’S REPORT ON LATVIA

9:15 – 9:40

ECRI’s work and conclusions to be drawn from ECRI’s Report on Latvia, by Professor Eva SMITH ASMUSSEN, Chair of ECRI

9:40 – 10:30

Discussion: open to the floor

10:30 – 10:45

Coffee Break

10:45 – 12:45 THEME II - TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED SOCIETY

10:45 – 11:00

The climate of opinion with regard to minority groups in Latvia,
by Ms Marija GOLUBEVA, Centre for Public Policy - PROVIDUS

11:00 – 11:15

Problems faced by minority groups in achieving full integration,
by Ms Ilze BRANDS-KEHRIS, Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights

11:15 – 11:30

Initiatives for building an integrated society in Latvia,
by Mr Oskars KASTENS, Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration

11:30 – 12:45

Discussion: open to the floor

12:45 – 2:00

Lunch break

Moderator of the afternoon session: Mr Romāns APSĪTIS, Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia

2:00 – 3:30 THEME III – THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY – IMPLEMENTING ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS

2:00 – 2:15

ECRI’s standards for the development of a comprehensive legislative and institutional framework for combating racism and racial discrimination,
by Ms Isil GACHET, Executive Secretary to ECRI

2:15 - 2:30

The legislative and institutional framework for combating racism and racial discrimination in Latvia,
by Ms Līga BIKSINIECE, Head of the Human Rights Department, Office of the Ombudsman

2:30 – 3:15

Discussion: open to the floor

3:15 – 3:30

Coffee Break

3:30 – 5:15 THEME IV – RESPONDING TO RACIST INCIDENTS IN LATVIA

3:30– 3:45

Hate speech in Latvia and its affiliation to racist incidents,
by Ms Anna STROJA, “Dialogi.lv" 

3:45 – 4:00

The role of the criminal justice system in preventing and responding to racist incidents,
by Mr Janis MAIZITIS, Prosecutor General of Latvia

4:00 – 4:10

Report on antisemitism in Latvia,
by Professor Leo DRIBINS, representative of the Jewish Community of Latvia

4:10 – 5:00

Discussion: open to the floor

5:00 – 5:15

Conclusions of the Round Table

 

- Presentation of the conclusions of the Round Table by the Moderator