HELP
Network Conference
2 - 3 July 2026 
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.
Thursday, 2 July 2026
08.30 – 09.00 Warm up
Online connection / Welcoming coffee / Test for online speakers
Opening Session
Chair: Lilja GRÉTARSDÓTTIR, Head of the Department for Human Rights and Justice Cooperation, CoE
09.00 – 09.30 Welcoming addresses
- Clare OVEY – Director of Human Rights, DG Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe
- Yves STRICKLER - Professor of Private Law at Côte d’Azur University, member of the High Council of the Judiciary of Monaco, and Scientific Director of the Monégasque Institute for Training in Judicial Professions (IMFPJ), on behalf of the Presidency of Monaco
- Vesna KOS - Head of the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe
09.30 – 10.00 Key-note speech
- Mattias GUYOMAR – President of the European Court of Human Rights
10.00 – 10.30 HELP highlights
- Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
10.30 – 11.00 Group photo & coffee break
11.00 – 12.00 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 Senior Project Officer
- HELP in Eastern Partnership: Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Manager
- HELP in South Mediterranean: Valentina BOZ, Head of unit, Capacity building and cooperation – South Mediterranean region
The Council of Europe’s response to the war in Ukraine
Chair: Lilja GRÉTARSDÓTTIR, Head of the Department for Human Rights and Justice Cooperation, CoE
12.00 – 12.45 HELP in Ukraine project: achievements and impact
- Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Manager and Galyna SMIRNOVA, HELP in Ukraine Senior Project Officer
- Iryna CHECHOTKA, Director of the Prosecutors Training Center of Ukraine
- Oleksandr BARANOV, Director of the Coordination Center for Legal Aid Provision at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine
- Savva KUZMENKO, Director of High School of Advocacy, Ukrainian National Bar Association
- Tamara ZAKREVSKA, Deputy Head of the Department for Training of Trainers, National School of Judges of Ukraine
12.45 – 13.00 Q&A Morning session
13.00 – 14.30 Lunch break
- Hall in front of the Hemicycle
Training developments
Chair: Ana-Maria TELBIS, Head of the HELP Programme, CoE
14.30 – 15.30 HELP new courses
Assessing conditions-of-detention complaints - Ana MEDARSKA LAZOVA, Senior Lawyer, Registry of the ECtHR
Human Rights in the Digital Environment
- Access to justice, Children rights - Oana GIRLESCU, EU-CoE HELP in the EU Project Coordinator
- Technology facilitated violence against women and girls – Elena JOVANOVSKA-BREZOSKA, Head of the Cooperation Unit, Gender Equality Division, CoE
Soft skills for legal professionals – Eva MASSA, International legal trainer, HELP tutor
- Change Management in Justice
- Effective Legal Communication and Negotiation
Safeguarding Children in Sports – Maria-Elena CASERO, Project manager, Sport Division
Updated HELP courses:
- Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights – Ana TOKHADZE, Policy Advisor, Digital Development Unit
- Data Protection and Privacy Rights – TBC
- Cybercrime – TBC
15.30 – 16.15 Digital training for a digital justice
- Wojciech POSTULSKI – EU DG JUST
- Alice HAMILTON, Project Manager, Justice, Digital and Migration Unit, FRA
- Ingrid DERVEAUX – Secretary General of the EJTN
- Simone CUOMO – Secretary General of the CCBE (TBC online)
Q&A
16.15 – 16.45 Coffee break
16.45 – 17.30 Training on the ECHR system - Implementing the CM Recommendation 2019 (5): evaluation and the way forward
Ana MEDARSKA LAZOVA, Senior Lawyer, Registry of the ECtHR
Bojana NIKOLIN, Head of Unit, Department for Execution of ECtHR Judgments, CoE
David MILNER, Human Rights Intergovernmental Co-operation Division (TBC)
Interactive session with the Network Members
17.30 – 17.45 Q&A and Conclusions
19.30 Dinner
(venue TBC)
Friday, 3 July 2026
From commitments to practice: training as a requirement and as a solution for and effective implementation of human rights standards at national level
09.00 - 10.30 Parallel workshops
- WORKSHOP 1: – Room 1: Human rights (focus on the ECHR and the ESC)
- WORKSHOP 2: – Room 2: Protection of victims (focus on the Istanbul, Lanzarote and Anti-trafficking Convention)
- WORKSHOP 3: – Room 3: Protection of rights in the digital environment (focus on the AI Framework Convention and the Cybercrime Convention)
10.30 - 11.00 Coffee break
11.00 - 11.30 Reporting from workshops: Feedback and Reflection
Training as a vector for advancing the New Democratic Pact for Europe
Chair: Lilja GRÉTARSDÓTTIR
11.30 - 11.50 Overview of the New Democratic Pact and implications for human rights protection
- Tatiana MONNEY, Head of Unit, New Democratic Pact for Europe, CoE (TBC)
11.50 - 12.15 Universities as Drivers of Change
- HELP courses integrated in the educational curricula of law schools – Krystyna KHOKHLOVA, HELP Programme Coordinator
- Olaf KÖNDGEN, Coordinator of the Open Council of Europe Academic Networks (OCEAN) (TBC)
- Eva MASSA, International legal trainer, HELP tutor
12.15 - 12.30 HELP developments – what to expect in the near future
- Ana-Maria TELBIS – Head of the HELP Programme
12.30 - 12.45 Q&A
Closing session
Chair: Lilja GRÉTARSDÓTTIR
12.45 - 13.00 Closing remarks
Clare OVEY, Director of Human Rights, DG Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe (CoE)
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.
