Conference on Democracy, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples Monday, 23 September 2013 Paul-Henri Spaak, P7C050 European Parliament Rue Wiertz/Wiertzstraat 60, B-1047 Bruxelles / Brussel Belgique/ België Dear Sir/Madam: It is with great pleasure that the organizers of the Conference on Democracy, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples would like to invite you to join us on Monday, 23 September 2013, from 0900-1800hours at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Background More than 60 years ago, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) proclaimed that the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” In 1976 in Algiers, the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples was adopted. It stressed that individual rights cannot be realized unless collective rights are respected; and that all peoples of the world have the legitimate right to fight for their liberation if they are under foreign or local oppression. In 1986, the United Nations General Assembly approved the UN Declaration on the Right to Development that recognizes the collective right of peoples and countries to development. Today, these rights are in danger. There is a need to reaffirm these rights in the face of challenges generated by the war on terror and foreign intervention that tend to negate the national sovereignty of countries and the right of peoples’ to self-determination. There is an upsurge of democratic peoples’ movements in many countries of the world, from the underdeveloped peripheries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, all the way to the industrial heartlands of North America, Europe and Japan. The peoples of the world are rising up from the stupor engendered by limited democracy and are more actively participating in the fight for a better world of freedom, prosperity and peace. The Conference The conference aims to reaffirm the fundamental principles enshrined in the above-cited conventions and declarations and gather support for the people’s struggles for genuine democracy, liberation and development. This initiative is being supported by the GUE-NGL group at the European Parliament. There is no conference fee but due to limited funding, participants are expected to shoulder all the costs of their participation and make their own travel and accommodations arrangements. However, we would be very happy to extend any other logistics assistance and support you might need e.g. affordable accommodations in Brussels. Important Security Note to All Participants: In order to access the European Parliament building, you will need to be issued a security and access badge/pass. For this, you are required to submit your full name, date of birth, address of residence and the number of a valid identity document e.g. passport. Due to the limited capacity of the conference room, please confirm your participation as soon as possible by filling up and submitting the Logistics Advisory and Confirmation of Participation Form to the conference secretariat at secretariat.ifpris@gmail We hope you can join us in the conference and look forward to hearing from you at your soonest convenience. Respectfully yours, Maitet Ledesma Coordinator Conference Secretariat Main Sponsors Jürgen Klute, Member European Parliament European United Left - Nordic Green Left Group (GUE/NGL) IBON International KONKURD (Confederation of Kurdish Associations In Europe) Supporting Organizations ABERTZALE LEFT CENI (Kurdish Women’s Office for Peace) EMMAUS BJÖRKÅ (Federation of Collective People’s Rights) INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ MOVEMENT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION AND LIBERATION INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S ALLIANCE MONDIAL POUR LES DROITS DES PEUPLES COLLECTIFS PEOPLE’S FORUM ON PEACE FOR LIFE CONFERENCE PROGRAM Morning: q Welcome Remarks Member, European Parliament - GUE/NGL (Invited) q Introduction to the conference Amy Padilla, Deputy International Director, IBON International q Opening speeches Cynthia McKinney, Former member, US House of Representatives, USA Dr. Hans Koechler, University of Innsbruck, Austria Luis Jalandoni, National Democratic Front, Philippines q Panel 1: · On Collective Rights, Self-Determination and Liberation of Peoples Savaratnam Navalan, Tamil Center for Human Rights, United Kingdom Salih Müslim, PYD, Kurdish High Council in Syria · On Economic Democracy and System Change Member of Parliament, Syriza, Greece (Invited) Ann-Kristin Kowarsch, CENI (Kurdish Women’s Office for Peace) q Open Forum Afternoon: q Panel 2: · Right to Development and Resistance to an Oppressive State: The Philippine Case Saturnino Ocampo, Makabayan, Philippines · Challenges in Promoting Collective Rights in Multi-ethnic Contexts: The Kurdish Case Ertugrul Kürkcü, PM of BDP, Turkey · Areas for the Promotion of Peoples’ Collective Rights: The Basque People Sen. Urko Aiartza (Confirmed) · Promoting and Defending Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Self Determination Indigenous Peoples’ Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (Confirmed) q Open Forum q Panel 3: · On the Role of the State in Promoting, Fulfilling and Defending Collective Rights of Peoples and the Criminalization of Peoples’ Resistance Inaki Irazabalbeitia, Member European Parliament(EFA/The Greens) Jan Fermon, PROGRESS Lawyers Network (Confirmed) · On the Responsibility of International and Multilateral Organizations (EU and EP) in Promoting and Defending Collective Rights Member, European Parliament, Syriza, Greece (Invited) · Collective Rights in Situations of Conflict and Fragility and Issues Surrounding External Forces in Counterinsurgency and Peace-keeping Member, European Parliament (TBC) Richard Harvey, Garden Court International (Confirmed) q Open Forum q Presentation and Approval of Outcome Declaration q Closing Remarks: KonKurd LOGISTICS ADVISORY / CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION FORM ACCESS AND ENTRY TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT The Conference will take place inside the European Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium. Please use the Altiero Spinelli entrance situated at Place de Luxembourg, just facing the open courtyard of the so-called Espace Simone Weil. An official and personal European Parliament badge/pass will be provided to all participants in order for them to access the conference venue. As confirmation of your participation, all participants MUST email the following information to this address: secretariat.ifpris@gmail: 1) Name and surname 2) Date of birth 3) Place and country of residence (if possible, the full address of residence) 4) Number of a valid document (e.g. passport, national ID, etc.) Please send your information before the 10th of September 2013. In compliance with the rules established by the Security Department of the European Parliament, NO ACCREDITATION will be accepted after this deadline. Your badge/pass will be ready for pick up before the start of the conference on the 23rd of September 2013. You can get it at the accreditation desk inside the Altiero Spinelli entrance of the European Parliament building at Place de Luxembourg. Thank you for your cooperation! The Conference Secretariat
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 13:13:34 +0000