7/27/2017

40 years of INGOs at the Council of Europe


The Summer session of the Conference of INGOs was the occasion to look back 40 years to the first meeting of the Conference of INGOs and to reflect on the progress made over the years. 


Among the many varied debates organised during the week, some of the highlights were:
·         A Side event organised in co-operation with PACE Committee on Equality and non-discrimination: « Women’s mobilization in Europe 2016: What impact on policies? »;
·         A debate/training session « How to fight against discrimination and hate speech in the post-truth era »
·          A debate on the “populist wave in Europe” based on the Secretary General’s latest report
·         The situation of NGOs in member States with reports from the visits led by the President of the Conference to Hungary and Ireland and the meetings held with NGOs from Cyprus and Turkey
·         The Conference adopted a Recommendation “Human Rights and Business” encouraging members States to implement the actions recommended in Committee of Ministers Recommendation (2016).
·       Presentation and discussion of the work carried out by the different working groups, during the mandate that had ending.
·       Presentation of the activity reports of the three thematic committees, referring the mandate that ended.

It was also the occasion to welcome new recruits to the Conference, not only INGOs recently granted participatory status but also some new faces elected to the posts of Chair and Vice-Chairs of the thematic committees:

·         Democracy, Social Cohesion and Global Challenges: Chair: Thierry Mathieu; Vice-chairs: Gerhard Ermischer and Alexandra Luminata Petrescu
·         Education and Culture: Chair: Claude Vivier le Got; Vice-chairs: Karl Donert and Julianne Lagadec
·         Human Rights: Chair: Simon Matthijssen; Vice-chairs: Miguel Cabral and Iamvi Totsi

The Mayor of Strasbourg hosted a reception to mark 40 years of dialogue between the Civil Society and the Council of Europe.
EPA was represented by its new representative Hermínio Corrêa.

Lisbon, 30 June 2017.

Hermínio Corrêa

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