Citizenship in an enlarged Europe: the contribution of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Conference)

Conference. Citizenship in an enlarged Europe: the contribution of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights This Conference, organized in partnership with ACEVO (United Kingdom), Order of the Architects (Portugal) and Microcredit Observatory (Bologna/Italy), is part of the strategy and mission of the Centre to raise the profile of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights through fostering the debate and innovative thinking, and pursuing research, lobbying and advocacy on pivotal ESCR issues. Aims at involving Civil Society organizations in the promotion and realization of ESCR, supporting them in a better understanding and use of the mechanisms and tools which already exist at a national, regional and international level, for their operacionalization. Therefore, to achieve this goal we intend to: * Acknowledge the content of some economic, social and cultural rights * Identify their content, their full dimensions, their implications, and the obstacles to their effective application and realization. * Point out some solutions and good practices to overcome the difficulties and ensure the implementations of the rights. Below you may consult the draft programme of the conference. Find here the registration form. Draft Programme Conference Commissioners Catarina de Albuquerque – Chairperson-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Virgínia Brás Gomes – Member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 10th April 2008 8.00 Registration 9.30 Opening Session Jorge Lacão – Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Counsel of Ministers, in representation of the Portuguese Prime Minister, José Sócrates António Rendas – Rector, New University of Lisbon José Gregório Faria - Ambassador, President of the Institute for Strategic and International Studies Graça Almeida Rodrigues – Executive Director, CIDESC 10.00 Keynote Address Jorge Sampaio - Former President of Portugal and United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations “Realization of ESCR as a tool towards achieving equal opportunities for all” 10.45 – Coffee Break 11.00 – I. Economic and Social Rights Moderator: Virgínia Brás Gomes * Indicators, Benchmarks, Scoping and Assessment – Eibe Riedel (Vice President UN Committee ESCR) * The right to social security: Coming in from the cold? – Malcolm Langford (University of Oslo, Norway) * The right to Housing. Challenges to its implementation and realization – Miloon Kothari (United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing)* * Alexandra Pimenta (Portuguese Institute for Rehabilitation, Sub-director) 13.00 – Lunch 14.30 – II. The fulfillment of ESCR in Europe Moderator: Fernando Fernandez-Arias Minuesa * Matjaž Kovacic (Slovenian Presidency of the Council of EU; Head of the Division for International Organisations and Human Security at the Slovenia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) * Denis Huber (European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, Executive Director) * Arjan Hamburger (Human Rights Ambassador at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 16.15 - Coffee Break 16.30 – III. ESCR & International Development Aid: Challenges, Obstacles and Good Practice Moderator: Paula Escarameia * The human rights dimension of international financial institutions - Regine Richter (Urgewald, Germany) * A Human Rights Based Approach to Development – João José Fernandes (Oikos, Portugal) 17:45 – Coffe Break 18.00 – IV. Book Launching: Disrespect Today, Conflict Tomorrow in collaboration with Professor Bernard McGuirck - Centre for the Study of Postconflict Cultures, University of Nottingham 11th April 2008 9.30 - Keynote Address António Mega Ferreira – Belém Cultural Centre, President* 10.00 – V. Cultural Rights Moderator: Susana Sardo * Samuel Araújo (Professor – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) * Lieve Meersschaert (Cultural Association Moinho da Juventude, Cova da Moura, Portugal) * Maria Cardeira da Silva (Professor, New University of Lisbon) 11.30 - Coffee Break 11.45 – VI. Civil Society voices in the Promotion of ESCR Moderator: Graça Almeida Rodrigues * Places/spaces of celebration and protest: citizenship, civic conversations and the promotion of Economic, Social & Cultural Rights - Bryan Massam (Emeritus Professor - York University Toronto, Canada) and Brian Hracs (PhD student, University of Toronto, Canada) * The conditions for civil society participation to urban renewal - Roselyne de Villanova (IPRAUS UMR, CNRS, France) * Civil society in promoting housing rights in Portugal - Helena Roseta (Platform on Housing Rights, Portugal) * The Role of Micro-Credit in Poverty Reduction - Luisa Brunori (University of Bologna, Italy) 13.15 - Lunch 15.00 – VII. Democracy, Citizenship and Participatory Governance Moderator: Rosa Matos * ESCR and Participated Governance - Lia Vasconcelos (New University of Lisbon, Portugal) * Mariano Aguirre (Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior, Spain) * Michel Doucin (Former Ambassador for Human Rights of France)* 16.30 – VIII. Movie Session: “SAAL Operations”, directed by João Dias 12th April 2008 9.30 - Keynote Address Alfredo Bruto da Costa - European Committee of Social Rights, Council of Europe 10.30 - IX. Operacionalization and vindication of ESCR Moderator: Catarina Albuquerque * Interdependence, indivisibility and interconnection between ESCR and CPR. UN “case-law” - Martin Scheinin (Åbo Akademi University, Finland) * National Mechanisms for ESCR vindication: good practices – Christian Courtis (International Commission of Jurists) * European Court of Human Rights and promotion of ESCR – Giorgio Manliverni (European Court of Human Rights) * UN mechanisms and its potential in ESCR protection – Markus Schmidt (OHCHR)* 12.15 - X. Closing Session Graça Almeida Rodrigues – CIDESC, Executive Director Conclusions – Virgínia Brás Gomes (member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) and Catarina de Albuquerque (Chairperson-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) Closing Address - Manuel Lobo Antunes (Secretary of State Assistant and for European Affairs)* * - To be confirmed