As the Fundamental Rights Agency Forum in Vienna gets underway on 25 September, the Council of Europe is playing an integral part to uphold fundamental human rights and combat corruption in an increasingly challenging period for Europe.
From fighting hate speech and discrimination to promoting free speech and freedom of assembly, from upholding the independence of the judiciary to encouraging inclusive education and employment; from promoting social rights, freedom of speech and assembly to protecting national minorities, Council of Europe officials will address panels throughout the three-day forum, which is committed to rebuilding trust in liberal democratic institutions.
Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe, will join in opening the forum on Tuesday morning 25 September. In a blog for the Fundamental Rights Agency, he asked “What kind of society do we want? Do we want a society where judges are selected, and act to please their political masters and to eliminate political opponents? Or do we prefer a society where checks and balances work and where each power of the state respects the independence of the other?”
To promote the latter option during the FRA Forum, Hanne Juncher, head of the Council of Europe's Justice and Legal Co-operation Department, will moderate an open session – Independence of the judiciary and corruption – on Tuesday 25 September at 2 pm. GRECO executive secretary Gianluca Esposito will address a working group on Boosting Trust in Institutions at 10:30 am on Thursday 27 September.
In addition, the Council of Europe's Snežana Samardžić-Marković will address the importance of education, as schools are on the frontline for dealing with threats to inclusive democratic societies. In a forum session, she will assess challenges ahead of a new Council of Europe campaign “Free to Speak, Safe to Learn”.
Also attending the forum, Anna Rurka, President of the Council of Europe’s Platform of International Non-Governmental Organisations, called for greater efforts to ensure that citizens have a voice in public affairs via NGOs and other civil society groups.
