Gabriella Battaini Dragoni has addressed today in Venice the Festival of Europe 2013: "Rights and responsibilities in the European citizenship", together with the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini.

Deputy Secretary General has focused on gender equality and fight against homophobia, during an open round-table discussion in caffè Lavena in San Marco's square, organised by the Municipality of Venice's Europe Direct desk and by the Council of Europe's office in Venice, with the support of the European Commission and the European Parliament.

While marking the 64^th anniversary of the Council of Europe, Gabriella Battaini Dragoni has also highlighted the relevance of the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (known as Istanbul Convention), and she has underlined the importance of the No Hate Speech Movement, recently launched in Strasbourg.

In the framework of the Festival's celebrations, the mayor of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, has emphasized the Serenessima's international vocation and the role of the Council of Europe's premises in this metropolitan area.