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Home Events Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) I: Freedom of Religion or Belief: Issues, Opportunities, and the Specific Challenges of Combatting Anti-Semitism and Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, Muslims, and Members of Other Religions
Events

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) I: Freedom of Religion or Belief: Issues, Opportunities, and the Specific Challenges of Combatting Anti-Semitism and Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, Muslims, and Members of Other Religions

When

22 June 2017, 15:00 - 23 June 2017, 17:00

Where

Vienna, Hofburg

Organized by

The Austrian OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
The Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) on the topic of Freedom of Religion or Belief: Issues, Opportunities, and the Specific Challenges of Combatting Anti-Semitism and Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, Muslims, and Members of Other Religions will take place in Vienna from 22 to 23 June 2017. The meeting is organized by the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). It will provide an opportunity for participants to take stock of OSCE human dimension commitments in the sphere of freedom of religion or belief and tolerance and non-discrimination in the wake of current and emerging issues in the OSCE region, to clarify and explore the multi-faceted dimensions of this right and its contribution to security, exchange views on good practices, and to offer recommendations.

This Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting will discuss best practices from across the OSCE area, with a focus on the following key areas:

  • Freedom of religion or belief, non-discrimination and other human rights and fundamental freedoms as the essential normative basis for peaceful coexistence and security in the OSCE region

  • Revisiting the normative status and scope of the right to freedom of religion or belief – issues of conceptualization and the challenge of implementing OSCE commitments

  • Challenges of combating anti-Semitism and intolerance and discrimination against Christians, Muslims and members of other religions

  • Interfaith and interreligious dialogue and cooperation and creating the conditions for peaceful and secure societies in the OSCE region

The meeting will be attended by representatives of OSCE participating States as well as other relevant actors including civil society and international organisations. Recommendations may be addressed to participating States, OSCE institutions, including the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE executive structures, the OSCE at large, other inter-governmental as well as civil society actors in OSCE participating States.

Participants

Representatives of OSCE participating States, OSCE institutions and OSCE executive structures, representatives of inter-governmental organizations, representatives of civil society and researchers from 57 participating States that have an interest in the topic are invited to participate in the SHDM. The Partners for Co-operation are invited to attend and contribute with respect to their co-operation and links with the OSCE in the field.

Participation in the Seminar is free of charge, although all travel and accommodation costs should be borne by participants. Participants are kindly requested to make their own travel and hotel arrangements. You can find a list of a selection of hotels in Vienna in the attachment and on the SHDM website.

Civil society organizations can find more information here.

Registration

Participants wishing to attend the meeting are requested to register online at http://meetings.odihr.pl as of Monday, 5 June and latest by the deadline of Monday, 19 June 2017 (24:00 CET). Important note: registration after this date will be closed and registration on-site will not be available.

Modalities & Logistics

The modalities of the meeting are set out in accordance with the decision of the Permanent Council (PC.DEC/476, 23 May 2002).

The meeting will take place in the Hofburg Congress Centre. On Thursday, before the opening plenary side events might take place. Please consult the schedule. The meeting will start on Thursday, 22 June, at 15.00 with an opening session followed by four working sessions, and the closing session will conclude on Friday, 23 June at 17.00. For details please see the General Information and Agenda documents.

The side events might take place on Thursday, 22 June between 13:00 and 14:45 and on Friday, 23 June between 12:30 and 14:00 – for details please check the Side Events Schedule on the SHDM website, prior to the meeting.

Interpretation will be provided into the six official OSCE languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

More information on organization of the sessions, seating, guidelines for debate, display and distribution of documents, logistics, etc. is available here.

Side events

Side events may be held over the course of two days during the SHDM. To book a side event, please register first in the ODIHR Registration System (http://meetings.odihr.pl.) and then proceed to side event booking. The system will be open from Thursday, 8 June at 12.00 (CET) until Tuesday, 13 June (CET). Detailed information on side event booking is available in the Side Events Information document.

In case of any questions, you may contact:

Overall co-ordination of the meeting: Ms. Kamila Czerwinska at [email protected] or +48 22 5200 657

Programmatic matters: Dr. Kishan Manocha at [email protected] or tel. +48 225200 757

Coordination of side events: Mr. Ireneusz Stepinski at [email protected]  or +48 22 5200 658

Registration of participants: Ms. Anna Sierant at [email protected] or +48 22 5200 627