HELP
Network Conference
3 - 4 July 2025 
Strasbourg, Palais de l'Europe
About the ConferenceThe HELP Annual Network Conference is the main gathering of the HELP Network members and partners. It provides a forum to discuss ways to enhance human rights education for legal professionals, concrete implementation at national level of the European human rights standards, and how to improve cooperation among all national and international institutions.
It is also an occasion to map training needs, exchange on cooperation opportunities between HELP and its partner institutions, particularly the implementation of HELP courses, both at bilateral and cross-border levels.
This conference is organised by the Council of Europe under the Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. The conference is held in person, at the Council of Europe premises in Strasbourg. The working languages are English and French, with simultaneous interpretation provided.
Livestream
Programme
Thursday, 3 July 2025
Morning
8.30 – 9.15
Online connection / Welcoming coffee / Test for online speakers
9.15 – 9.55
Opening session
Chair: Clare OVEY, Director, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe
Welcoming addresses
- Council of Europe Ambassador, Francesca CAMILLERI VETTIGER, Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe
- Gianluca ESPOSITO, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law
- Ambassador Vesna KOS, Head of the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe
- Jonathan ATTARD, Minister of Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector of Malta (recorded message )
9.55 – 10.00
Message from the HELP Consultative Board
- Jelena RISTIĆ, Vice President of North Macedonia Bar Association, HELP Consultative Board member
10.00 – 10.40
The Convention at 75: Instrument of Peace – Compass for the Future
- Arnfinn BÅRDSEN, Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
10.40 – 11.00
HELP highlights
- Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
11.00 – 11.30
Group photo and coffee break
11.30 – 12.15
HELP news and achievements – Geographical focus
- HELP in EU: Oana GIRLESCU, EU-CoE HELP in the EU Project Coordinator
- HELP in Western Balkans: Jasminka PERUNICIC ALLEN, HELP in WB Project Coordinator
- HELP in Eastern Partnership: Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Manager
- HELP in South Mediterranean: Valentina BOZ, Programme Manager, Southern Mediterranean region
12.15 – 13.00
The Council of Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine
Chair: Lilja GRÉTARSDÓTTIR, Head of the Department for the Implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards, CoE
HELP in Ukraine project
Achievements and integration of courses in the core curricula of national training institutions – partners’ perspectives
- Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, Programme Manager, Justice and Human Rights Training Division, CoE
New course presentation: “Deportation of Children during Armed Conflict”
- Olga POIEDYNOK, lawyer, co-author of the course, Associate Professor, Taras Shevchenko National University, Ukraine
Interventions from national partners:
- Olesia OTRADNOVA, Director of the Prosecutors Training Center of Ukraine
- Tamara ZAKREVSKA, Deputy Head of the Department for Training of the National School of Judges of Ukraine
- Valentyn GVOZDIY, Vice President of the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the Bar Council of Ukraine
- Yuliia LYKHACH, Director of High School of Public Governance of Ukraine
13.00 – 14.30
Lunch break (Hall in front of the Hemicycle)
Thursday, 3 July 2025
Afternoon
14.30 – 15.15
HELP new courses:
- Mental Health and Human Rights - Laurence LWOFF, Head of the Human Rights and Biomedicine Division
- Abolition of the Death Penalty – Sebastien POTAUFEU, Senior advisor for Human rights, Coordinator for the Abolition of the death penalty
- Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse – Ovidiu MAJINA, Senior Project Officer, Children’s Rights Division, CoE
- Human Rights and Drug Use – Anastasiia UGRINCHUK, Project Officer, Pompidou Group, CoE
Newly updated HELP courses:
- Anti-discrimination – Paolo LOBBA, Programme Manager, Anti-discrimination and Co-operation Unit, CoE
- Business and Human Rights - Biljana NIKOLIC, Programme manager, Transversal challenges and multilateral projects Division, CoE
15.15 – 16.00
Training as a tool to face (and overcome) current challenges in Europe
Chair: Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
Judicial training and digitalisation – Synergies at European level
HELP courses as a tool to bridge/enhance EU-CoE cooperation and impact on the EU Judicial Training Strategy –
- Wojciech Postulski, DG JUST, EU Commission;
- Sanja Jovicic, Legal Expert FRA;
Optimising efforts and resources among European networks -
- Ingrid DERVEAUX, Secretary-general of the European Judicial training Network (EJTN)
- Simone CUOMO, Secretary-general of the Council of Bars and Law Societies in Europe (CCBE)
- Eftychia KATANAKI, Research Assistant, EUAA Courts and Tribunals Sector
16.00 – 16.20
Coffee break
16.20 – 16.45
Cooperation beyond training – Council of Europe initiatives
- Giovanni-Battista CELIENTO, Head of Co-operation Programmes Division
- Elena YURKINA, Head of Unit, Transversal Challenges and Multilateral Projects Division
16.45 – 17.15
Embedding HELP courses in institutional training programmes
- Daniela BALESTRA, E-learning system administrator, HELP Programme
- Gordon SCERRI, Ministry for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector of Malta
17.15 – 17.40
HELP Consultative Board applications
17.40 – 17.45
Conclusions
19.30
Dinner
Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain, Strasbourg
Friday, 4 July 2025
Morning
9.00 – 10.30
Enhancing impact of legal training with HELP: challenges, trends and practices - Parallel workshops
WORKSHOP A
Soft skills in legal training: Change management, effective communication on human rights and legal negotiation
– Room 3
WORKSHOP B
Digitalisation of training: Methods and tools; human rights in the digital environment
– Room 2
WORKSHOP C
Sustainable and impactful training: From planning and design to collection of data, evaluation and gender mainstreaming
– Room 1
10.30 – 11.00
Coffee break
11.00 – 11.30
Reporting from workshops
Feedback and Reflection
11.30 – 12.15
Training as a vector for advancing human rights protection – strengthening ties with standard setting/monitoring in line with the Reykjavik Declaration
Chair: Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
HELP and the CoE Department for the Execution of Judgments
Effective implementation of HELP courses to address the execution of ECtHR judgments
- Frédéric DOLT, Head of Department for the Execution of ECtHR Judgments, CoE
HELP and the ECtHR
Mainstreaming ECtHR tools and resources in HELP online courses
New course presentation: Introduction to the ECHR Knowledge Sharing Platform
- Renis ZAGANJORI, Lawyer, Directorate of the Jurisconsult, Registry of the ECtHR
HELP and the European Social Charter
Promoting training on social rights
- Amaya UBEDA, Head of Unit, Department for Social Rights, CoE (online)
12.15 – 12.35
HELP in Universities
HELP courses integrated in the educational curricula of law schools – Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Coordinator
- Elena PLOTNIKOVA, Doctoral Researcher, Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics (JSBE), Finland
- Olaf KÖNGEN, OCEAN (Open CoE Academic Network) Coordinator, CoE
12.35 – 12.50
Closing session
Chair: Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Manager
HELP developments
What to expect in the near future
HELP Consultative Board elections results
- Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
12.50 – 13.00
Closing remarks
- Clare OVEY, Director, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe
Speakers
Administrative arrangementsPractical details
Working languages the working languages of the conference are English and French and there will be interpretation in Ukrainian.
Visa: kindly note that visa arrangements are the traveler’s responsibility.
Venue: the conference will take place in person and online through a dedicated platform video link.
Venue for in person attendance (on invitation only): Council of Europe / Palais de l'Europe, Room 1.
Livestreaming will be ensured and available on this webpage.
Getting around Strasbourg: local transport & useful contacts
Access to the Council of Europe premises and registration: badges will be distributed at the entrance of the building on the first day of the Conference upon presentation of a valid ID or passport
Meals: Coffee breaks will be provided during the conference. Lunch and dinner will be provided to participants on the first day. A cafeteria and restaurant are available on-site at the Council of Europe.
COVID-19 protocols: The Council of Europe Covid self-declaration form is no longer required. However, please contact the organisers promptly should you find yourself in any of the following situations: you tested positive for COVID-19; you present symptoms (such as sore throat, cough, cold symptoms) even if mild; you have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 7 days.