Custom designing proteins — a breakthrough recognized by the latest Nobel Prize in chemistry — could yield treatments that stop the worst of COVID-19 before it begins.

The post Stanford Medicine experts help Nobel winner custom design proteins for COVID-19 therapy appeared first on Scope.

The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee has reiterated its determination to get to the bottom of the issues in its inquiry into the non-domestic renewable heat incentive scheme.

dklaughman has added a photo to the pool:

Return Day in Georgetown, DE.
Heading downtown for the festivities.
More info at this website: www.returnday.com/

Panelists respond to audience questions in this live recording from Oracle Technology Network Architect Day in Toronto, April 2011.

The panelists respond to an audience question about what happens when data in the Cloud crosses international borders.

The panel discusses public versus private cloud as the best strategy for small or start-up businesses.

The panel responds to an audience question about how cloud computing changes performance testing paradigms.

Experts Eric Stephens and Tim Hall discussion why it's important to revived the dormant conversation about IT governance.

Balancing functional, technical, operational requirements to meet the challenge of defining appropriate governance "guardrails."

Bringing IT architecture out of the ivory tower to make governance a less intimidating, more collaborative process.

The panel of experts at OTN Architect Day in Los Angeles responds to a challenging question about cloud strategy with a discussion of enterprise-grade cloud services.

Architects from Verizon Telematics and Sascar describe the nuts and bolts of their respective Internet of Things solutions in this roundtable discussion.

Meeting Internet of Things challenges: massive data streams, security and privacy issues, evolving standards and protocols.

Mobile devices as gateways in M2M communication, emerging solutions to security challenges, and the bright future for the Internet of Things.

What happens when you jam eight experts in Oracle ADF, MAF, Forms and other dev tools into a hotel room and toss in a live microphone? Listen and learn.

Beyond the buzz, what impact is IoT having in the real world? How is it changing enterprise IT? A panel of experts shares their experience and insight.

Chabot development comes with a unique set of requirements and considerations that may prove challenging to those making their first excursion into this new breed of services. This podcast features a panel of developers who have been there, done that, and are willing to talk about it.

The previous podcast featured a discussion of chatbot development with a panel of developers who were part of a program that provided early access to the Oracle Intelligent Bots platform available within the Mobile Cloud Service. In this podcast we continue the discussion of chatbot development with an entirely new panel of developers who also had the opportunity to work with that same Intelligent Bots beta release.

• Oracle ACE Director Mia Urman is Chief Executive Officer of AuraPlayer Limited. She’s based in Brookline, Massachusetts.
• Peter Crew is Director at SDS Group, and Chief Technical Officer with MagiaCX Solutions, in Perth, Australia
• And Christoph Ruepprich is Infrastructure Senior Principal with Accenture Enkitec Group. He’s based in Dallas, TX

In this program Mia, Peter, and Christoph compare notes on the particular challenges that defined their chatbot development experiences, and discuss what they did to meet those challenges.

Forget the hype! Which technologies made a genuine difference in the work of software developers over the past year? For this podcast we gathered five highly respected developers in a tiny hotel room in San Francisco, tossed in a couple of microphones, and let the conversation happen.

The panelists for this podcast are busy, working developers with stellar reputations:

(Listed alphabetically)

• Lonneke Dikmans, Chief Product Officer at eProseed. Utrecht, NL
• Lucas Jellema, Chief Technical Officer at AMIS Services. Rotterdam, NL
• Frank Munz, software architect and Cloud Evangelist at Munz and More. Munich, DE
• Pratik Patel, Chief Technical Officer at Triplingo and president of the Atlanta Java Users Group. Atlanta, US
• Chris Richardson, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eventuate Incorporated. San Francisco, US

This wide-ranging conversation spans containers, microservices, PaaS, IoT, machine learning, and much, much more. Listen!

IT professionals Natalie Delemar (Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young, President, Board of Directors, ODTUG), Heli Helskyaho (CEO at Miracle Finland), Michelle Malcher (Security Architect at Extreme Scale Solutions), and Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman (Technical Intelligence Manager for the Office of CTO at Delphix, President, Board Of Directors, Denver SQL Server User Group) join panel organizer and moderator Laura Ramsey to share insight on what motivated them in their IT careers, and how they lend their expertise and energy in driving momentum in the effort to draw more women into technology.

The Panelists

• Natalie Delamar, Senior Consultant with Ernst & Young, and a former president of ODTUG, the Oracle Developer Tools User Group
• Oracle ACE Director Heli Helskyaho, CEO with Miracle Finland, and an Ambassador for EMEA Oracle Usergroups Community
• Oracle ACE Director Michelle Malcher, Security Architect at Extreme Scale Solutions and a former president of the Independent Oracle Users Group
• Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman, President Of The Board Of Directors of the Denver SQL Server User Group, and Technical Intelligence Manager for the Office of CTO at Delphix
• Laura Ramsey, Manager, Database Technology and Developer Communities, Oracle America

Chatbots. You’ve heard of them. You’ve read about them. You may even be involved in developing them. By a wide margin, one of the most popular Oracle Developer podcasts in the last several months was Chatbot Development, First Steps and Lessons Learned - Part 1 which was published back in September of 2017. So it’s safe to say that chatbots remain a hot topic. So you may be surprised to learn that the conversation you are about to hear doesn’t really focus on chatbots, at least, not directly. Instead, the panel discusses the AI work they're currently involved in, the AI challenges they face, and other issues relevant to developing AI solutions.

View the complete show notes.

Polyglot programming is certainly nothing new, but as the number of languages grows, and as language preferences among coders continue to evolve, what happens to decisions about which language to use in a particular project? In this program we'll explore the meaning and evolution of polyglot programming, examine the benefits and challenges of mixing and matching different languages, and then discuss the GraalVM project and its impact on polyglot programming.

View the complete show notes.

Already enjoying wide adoption, digital assistants are destined to become even more prevalent.  As the use of digital assistants expands, so do the opportunities for developers with the necessary skills. In this program you’ll meet three people among the vanguard of those developing digital assistants. Oracle ACE Director Mia Urman, Founder and CEO of AuraPlayer, was deeply involved in the development of KBot, the chatbot developed to respond to questions from attendees at the 2019 ODTUG KScope event in Seattle.  David Callaghan, Senior Developer at Hermes, a UK-based parcel delivery company, led the development team behind Holly, the AI entity that has revolutionized customer service at Hermes. Grant Ronald, Director of Product Management within Oracle's Digital Assistant development team, had an active role in Holly’s creation. 

Listen to learn about what goes into the design and development of a chatbot, the challenges encountered along the way, and how to celebrate a chatbot's birthday.

Groundbreaker Podcast associate producer Javed Mohammed [@JavedMohammed] first encountered Dr. Hulme in January 2020 at Oracle OpenWorld Middle East in Dubai, where Dr. Hulme, a featured speaker, delivered a session on “AI and the Future of Business” as part of the Transformational Technologies track. ”I was so impressed with his vision and his unconventional thinking,” Javed says. This program, which features Javed’s conversation with Dr. Hulme, grew out of their meeting in Dubai.

https://twitter.com/simonhayler1965

VirtualBox for Dummies
https://blogs.oracle.com/scoter/post/ebook-virtualbox-for-dummies

Oracle Virtual Box
https://www.virtualbox.org/

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
https://www.oracle.com/cloud/

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure with Oracle VM VirtualBox
https://blogs.oracle.com/virtualization/post/journey-to-oracle-cloud-infrastructure-with-oracle-vm-virtualbox
https://www.oracle.com/a/ocom/docs/oracle-vm-vb-oci-export-20190502-5480003.pdf

Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgris/
https://developer.oracle.com/team/
https://oraclegroundbreakers.libsyn.com/

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Java developer Kaya Weers at JavaOne Las Vegas 2022 on remote pair programming from the IDE. Kaya also talked about her experiences at JavaOne and as a speaker at community events around the world this year.

Kaya Weers, Java Developer
https://twitter.com/KayaWeers

Jim Grisanzio, Java Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Neha Sardana about her "aha" moment when she first came across Java and transitioned to software from mechanical engineering. Java changed her life and led to interesting new experiences with the Java community around the world. Neha is a senior engineer in the financial services industry and contributes the Garden State JUG and NY Java Sig. You can find her on Twitter @nehasardana09. You can find Jim at @jimgris on Twitter. 

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized a summer school on 15-17 July 2016 for 25 lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River aimed at enhancing their ability to represent individuals who have been subject to discrimination. The summer school was held at Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the river.

Participants in the summer school studied various types and instances of discrimination, as well as the existing legal criteria for combating discriminatory actions and practices. In particular, the discussions focused on stereotypes and prejudices that can lead to the unequal treatment of people and looked at the latest trends in international case law addressing discrimination. Participants also had the opportunity to test their understanding of discrimination by taking part in mock scenarios involving gender, linguistic and ethnic bias and hate speech. 

“The problem of discrimination is very relevant in our current environment,” said Nicolae Radita of the Roma National Centre. “The summer school training has provided me with the tools to prevent and combat discrimination more effectively in my day-to-day work.”

Yan Feldman, Chairperson of Moldova’s Equality Council also participated in the summer school and updated participants on recent issues arising out of the Council’s work.

This event is part of a year-long OSCE project that aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences among lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River.

Related Stories

• Psychologists and professionals working with domestic violence victims trained at OSCE-supported events in Moldova on both banks
• Summer School to be held for lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River
• OSCE Mission to Moldova strengthens professional skills and civic engagement among young people from both banks

WARSAW / BUCHAREST, 2 August 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), called today for greater efforts to protect endangered memorial sites related to the Roma and Sinti genocide during World War II.

Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of the liquidation of the “Gypsy family camp” at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, when the close to 3,000 remaining Roma and Sinti in the camp were murdered, they stressed that states have to do more to demonstrate their sincere and strong commitment to education about and remembrance of the genocide.

“Positively, we have seen increasing attention in recent years on the part of OSCE participating States to commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide, and to educate people about this horrible event. This practice and these experiences should be widely shared and replicated,” Director Link said. “Promoting understanding of the Holocaust and its effect on different communities can help to create empathy and promote equality and non-discrimination for all.”

“Accurate and ethical education about the Holocaust includes the respectful and dignified preservation of memorial sites,” said Ambassador Constantinescu. “States have to take resolute action to protect endangered memorial sites and continue to do more to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims. The history of these endangered sites should be included as part of broader efforts to educate about the consequences of indifference to racism.”

They called on governments to ensure that endangered memorial sites for Roma and Sinti victims are preserved and protected, to include this history as an integral part of civic and human rights education in their countries. They stressed that current developments, including a disturbing rise in xenophobic public rhetoric and racism, mean it is even more essential to build strong alliances among different communities.

In 2003, with the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, the OSCE participating States committed themselves to strengthen education about the Roma and Sinti genocide. Through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, ODIHR promotes knowledge about and recognition of the plight of Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust to counter present-day discrimination and racism, and to promote tolerance. According to ODIHR’s recent publication Teaching about and Commemorating the Roma and Sinti Genocide: Practices within the OSCE Area, seven OSCE participating States officially commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 2 August, while a larger number of states commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims on the International Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an inter-governmental organization and the foremost international network of political leaders and professionals advancing and shaping Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Its 31 member countries are committed to the tenets of the Stockholm Declaration. The IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma aims to increase the commitment of IHRA Member Countries to educate, research and commemorate the genocide of the Roma.

Related Stories

• After violent attempted coup, Turkish authorities must strengthen, not weaken, rule of law and independence of judiciary, says ODIHR Director Link
• OSCE workshop in Kosovo focuses on improving the recording of hate crimes
• OSCE/ODIHR Director Link welcomes Kyrgyzstan’s review of Askarov’s case, calls on Kyrgyz authorities to implement UN Human Rights Committee decision

ASHGABAT, 16 June 2016 – Officials from the Traffic Control Inspectorate of Turkmenistan’s Interior Ministry and representatives of a local public organization dealing with road safety discussed good practices for promoting road safety awareness at an OSCE-organized three-day seminar that concluded today in Ashgabat.

Shpresa Mulliqi from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo who conducted the seminar talked about the significance of the legal framework for traffic safety, the main factors influencing the road infrastructure and behaviour, including education and culture, as well as ways to raise public awareness about road traffic safety.

The seminar placed special emphasis on the involvement of children and youngsters in awareness-raising activities for pedestrians.

 “Promoting traffic safety is essential for guaranteeing the health and harmonious development of all citizens, including the youngest who represent a group of risk at roads,” said Radovan Znasik, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“Our seminar highlights the importance of awareness raising activities in ensuring traffic safety and we hope that the event will be of practical use for the relevant bodies of Turkmenistan as it is committed to upgrading its efforts in the area of promoting traffic safety and designing awareness raising campaigns.”

Participants exchanged views on the role of educational institutions, public organizations and media in raising public awareness on traffic safety. The seminar also covered the main content of traffic safety education, which includes general traffic safety knowledge, and the skills for analyzing and solving problems in traffic activities.

As part of the practical exercises, the participants developed traffic safety awareness messages for different target groups taking into account identified needs, the legal framework, the cultural context and financial implications.

Prior to the seminar, the OSCE expert visited the Traffic Safety School for Children of the Interior Ministry and was familiarized with national road safety campaigns.

Related Stories

• Representatives from Turkmenistan discuss media reforms during OSCE-organized study visit to Latvia
• OSCE seminar in Turkmenistan promotes freedom of religion and belief
• OSCE trains Turkmenistan journalists on reporting skills

The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars for women entrepreneurs working in the field of green technology started on 29 July 2016 in Arnasai village, Central Kazakhstan.

The training seminar, organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in close co-operation with the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development brought together some 20 participants from rural areas of the Central Kazakhstan region to raise their awareness on the use of modern green technologies in effective horticulture, such as energy and water-saving methods, drip irrigation, solar greenhouses and vermicultivation.

“We believe that the role of women in promoting green businesses in the rural areas is crucial and enormous. This is due to the fact that most of them are involved in agriculture and household management activities, which nowadays remain one of the few opportunities to support the family and community in remote regions,” said György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “Thus, the Office stands ready to provide its continuous expert support to such initiatives aiming at better information- and technology-sharing.”

The event is part of the Office’s multi-year efforts to promote green growth, environmental security and women’s empowerment in economic activities.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports water co-operation in southern Kazakhstan
• OSCE launches series of anti-trafficking seminars for law-enforcement officers and social workers across Kazakhstan
• OSCE Programme Office concludes series of training seminars on National Preventive Mechanism Implementation in Kazakhstan

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana will support the seventh annual training seminar under the Central Asian Leadership Programme on environmental governance. Some 40 young environmental leaders from Central Asia and Afghanistan will discuss the ways to reinforce regional cooperation on water governance, the rational use of water resources, the climate change implications for the Central Asia and Afghanistan and sustainable energy management. The participants will be engaged in a comprehensive assessment of the issues related to sustainable development in the context of global challenges across the Central Asian region and beyond and ways to promote the regional cooperation and networking among the emerging like-minded leaders.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year activities to enhance the role of young leaders in the environmental decision-making and promote the green economy principles in the regional and national frameworks.

Related Stories

• Seminar for defence lawyers on new approaches and techniques of legal defence
• OSCE Programme Office trains notaries and advocates on countering money laundering and financing of terrorism
• OSCE supports water co-operation in southern Kazakhstan

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana will support a training seminar on preventing money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) for some 40 designated non-financial business and professions, namely notaries and advocates. The expert from the Russian Federation will present their country’s best practices on the efficient implementation of the AML/CFT national legislation and familiarize the audience with the AML/CFT international legal standards and requirements. The event also aims to enhance the co-operation between the non-financial sector actors and the AML/CFT national authorities.

The event is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote good governance and AML/CFT framework in the host country.

Related Stories

• OSCE promotes ‘green’ women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas of Kazakhstan
• OSCE Programme Office concludes series of training seminars on National Preventive Mechanism Implementation in Kazakhstan
• OSCE concludes series of training seminars on implementing the National Preventive Mechanism in Kazakhstan

Improving the situation of Roma in Ukraine by enhancing co-operation between Roma civil society organizations and national and regional authorities was the focus of a roundtable meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine in Kyiv on 24 November 2015.

Some 40 participants from Ukrainian national and regional authorities, Roma civil society and the international community, discussed the challenges faced by Roma in the areas of education, employment, housing and policing.

“Further efforts are needed to implement a strong anti-discrimination approach in all policies targeting the integration and protection of Roma and, in particular, of Roma women,” said Mirjam Karoly, ODIHR Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues. “Measurable progress at the local level can only be achieved if policies are needs-based and have concrete objectives that are matched with measurable indicators and realistic budgets.”

Andriy Vitrenko, Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine for European Integration, stated that the Ministry was tasked in 2013to facilitate the implementation of the Strategy on the Protection and Integration of the Roma National Minority into Ukrainian Society up to 2020. “In order to achieve the goals set out in the Strategy, close collaboration among a number of ministries at the national level and good co-ordination with regional and local level authorities are needed.”

During the meeting, the participants emphasized that many Roma lack personal documents, hindering them from exercising their fundamental, social and political rights.

Volodomyr Kondur, Chairperson of the Roma Coalition, said: “We welcome the adoption of national and regional policy documents addressing the problems Roma face, but we want to see effective and sustainable results and ask for ensuring involvement of the Roma civil society in all stages of policy implementation and evaluation.”

The roundtable meeting was organized as a follow-up to ODIHR’s Situation Assessment Report on Roma in Ukraine and the Impact of the Current Crises and in line with the 2003 OSCE Action Plan on Roma and Sinti.

Related Stories

• OSCE workshop in Kosovo focuses on improving the recording of hate crimes
• ODIHR expresses concerns on recent evictions of Roma in joint statement with other global and regional human rights organizations
• OSCE/ODIHR announces funding for civil society projects in Ukraine

VIENNA, 21 January 2016 – Remembering the Holocaust reminds us of our duty to speak out against the denial of these grave crimes and to work for tolerance and non-discrimination in our societies, said keynote speakers addressing the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council today, which was dedicated to commemorating the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January.

State Secretary Szabolcs Takács from Hungary, in his capacity as this year’s chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and Ambassador Felix Klein, Special Representative of the German Federal Foreign Office for issues relating to Anti-Semitism and Holocaust Remembrance, addressed representatives of the OSCE’s 57 participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation, at the invitation of Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship.

Both speakers emphasized that the past will not be forgotten and may not be forgotten. “We remember not only to honour the victims of a tragedy which challenged the foundations of civilization,” Takács said. “We do it with a determination so that events like the Holocaust never happen again and in the hope that the lessons of the past may positively influence the world we live in today and the generations to come.” Takács also pointed out to the “task of governments … to strengthen the security of our populations, without giving way to xenophobia or compromising on the core values of European civilization.”

Ambassador Klein said in his address that “the sufferings of the Holocaust put an obligation on us for a more peaceful and humane future in Europe.” Klein stressed that it remained an important task for Germany “to foster an open atmosphere for a transparent and critical discussion in society about the darkest chapters of our history. This is particularly important today in Europe since we need to come to a new understanding with many people migrating to our continent from different cultures and religions.”

The German Chairmanship reappointed Rabbi Andrew Baker as Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism. There will also be two new Representatives appointed on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims and on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on intolerance and discrimination against Christians and members of other religions.

In its programme for 2016, Germany has declared the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination a priority of its activities related to the OSCE’s human dimension. It will organize, among other things, a meeting with Special Envoys on Combating Anti-Semitism from OSCE participating States to share best practices and hold a Chairmanship Conference on the issue of tolerance and discrimination in Berlin on 20–21 October, at which civil society will be actively involved. Germany has also pledged a substantial amount to support an ODIHR project on combating Anti-Semitism called “Turning words into action”.

The advancement of the human rights of Roma and Sinti in the OSCE area will, not least against the background of German history, play an important role in the German Chairmanship’s endeavours.

Related Stories

• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier stresses importance of ODIHR’s work during visit to headquarters in Warsaw
• Political leaders have primary role in countering discrimination and prejudice against Roma and Sinti, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and ODIHR Director say on International Roma Day
• OSCE States explore role for the Organization regarding migration and refugee flows

BELGRADE, 8 April 2016 - On the occasion of International Roma Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the United Nations Country Team in Serbia, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade reaffirm our strong commitment to equality and non-discrimination.

Today, the Romani community, Europe's largest ethnic minority, still experiences multiple discrimination and marginalisation in countries throughout Europe, including Serbia.  Roma remain one of the most vulnerable groups; they continue to face difficult living conditions and discrimination in access to social protection, health, employment and adequate housing, as stated in reports by both relevant international mechanisms and independent bodies of the Republic of Serbia.

Thousands of Roma represent the most vulnerable and marginalised among the population of internally displaced, still facing obstacles in accessing rights and durable solutions.

International and European human rights standards clearly provide for equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on all grounds, including ethnicity. The realisation of Roma inclusion will reinforce everyday democracy and the rule of law. It is the only way to reach a society based on the principle of equality of opportunity where everyone has the right to participate and to be heard.

On this day, we therefore call on all relevant stakeholders to pursue with determination 
Roma inclusion policies in Serbia, pursuant to the recent adoption of a new Strategy of Social Inclusion of Roma for the Period from 2015-2025 and the Action Plan for Realization of Rights of National Minorities by the Government of Serbia.

The Delegation of the European Union, the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the United Nations Country Team in Serbia remain committed to improving the lives of Roma in Serbia and  ensuring that their fundamental rights are respected, and to supporting our Serbian partners in this endeavour.

International Roma Day is celebrated annually on April 8, in commemoration of the 1971 founding of the International Romani Union, the first major international Romani civic initiative.

Statistical information on Roma in Serbia

• 90% of children in Roma settlements are growing up in poverty. The infant and under-5 mortality rate is two times higher than that of the general population, 15% of Roma children are born with low birth weights, one fifth is malnourished and only 13% are fully immunized.
• Romani children continue to face discrimination in the education system. Only 6% of children from Roma settlements attend early learning programs, only 64% finish primary school on time, and  only 22% attend secondary school (of whom only 15% are girls).
• Romani women and girls face multi-sectoral discrimination, as well as heightened barriers of access to services, including services for victims of violence.    Early, arranged marriage remains an issue in some segments of Serbia’s Romani communities, with very destructive consequences for – in particular – the child bride.

For more information & media inquiries please contact:

Aleksandra Stamenkovic, United Nations Country Team Communications Expert, email: aleksandra.stamenkovic@one.un.org, Phone +381 11 415 5314

Nadezda Dramicanin, Delegation of the EU to Serbia Communications Officer, e-mail: Nadezda.DRAMICANIN@eeas.europa.eu, Phone: +381 11 3083 200

Ivana Milatovic, OSCE National Political and Press Affairs Officer, e-mail: ppiu-serbia@osce.org, Phone +381 11 3606 151

Mona Alghaith, Council of Europe Office, Assistant to the Head of Office, e-mail: mona.alghaith@coe.int, Phone. +381 11 71 555 00

Related Stories

• EU Delegation, OSCE Mission, closely following situation in Serbia’s public service broadcasters
• We Are Here Together - European Support to Roma Inclusion
• OSCE Mission to Serbia, ODIHR and civil society partners to follow election of judges to High Judicial Council

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) joined with other global and regional intergovernmental human rights organizations and experts in issuing a statement condemning the recent evictions of Roma and Sinti, as well as Travellers, in Europe, on 29 June 2016.

Signatories call on national, regional and, in particular, local authorities to find sustainable solutions to the housing problems that many Roma and Sinti face, while condemning forced evictions without due process and provisions of adequate alternative housing. The statement reminds participating States that such evictions violate international human rights obligations and authorities must ensure that everyone subject to eviction is adequately informed of their rights and necessary evictions must be carried out without discrimination or harassment.

The statement highlights the long-term negative implications of eviction that can result in physical and psychological problems, including emotional trauma and lasting social isolation, which particularly affects older people, women, children and people with disabilities.

ODIHR had previously reminded the OSCE participating States that evictions of Roma and Sinti must comply with international standards and provide for adequate housing for those evicted. Furthermore, greater efforts are needed to promote sustainable and non-discriminatory housing solutions. The OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti from 2003 additionally calls for mechanisms and procedures to clarify property rights, resolve questions of ownership and regularize the legal status of Roma and Sinti people living in circumstances of unsettled legality.

Related Stories

• ODIHR Director and IHRA Chair on Roma and Sinti genocide commemoration day: greater effort needed to protect memorial sites and ensure victims dignity
• OSCE workshop in Kosovo focuses on improving the recording of hate crimes
• OSCE/ODIHR event at European Parliament highlights role of civil society coalitions in responding to anti-Semitism, discrimination and intolerance

WARSAW / BUCHAREST, 2 August 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), called today for greater efforts to protect endangered memorial sites related to the Roma and Sinti genocide during World War II.

Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of the liquidation of the “Gypsy family camp” at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, when the close to 3,000 remaining Roma and Sinti in the camp were murdered, they stressed that states have to do more to demonstrate their sincere and strong commitment to education about and remembrance of the genocide.

“Positively, we have seen increasing attention in recent years on the part of OSCE participating States to commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide, and to educate people about this horrible event. This practice and these experiences should be widely shared and replicated,” Director Link said. “Promoting understanding of the Holocaust and its effect on different communities can help to create empathy and promote equality and non-discrimination for all.”

“Accurate and ethical education about the Holocaust includes the respectful and dignified preservation of memorial sites,” said Ambassador Constantinescu. “States have to take resolute action to protect endangered memorial sites and continue to do more to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims. The history of these endangered sites should be included as part of broader efforts to educate about the consequences of indifference to racism.”

They called on governments to ensure that endangered memorial sites for Roma and Sinti victims are preserved and protected, to include this history as an integral part of civic and human rights education in their countries. They stressed that current developments, including a disturbing rise in xenophobic public rhetoric and racism, mean it is even more essential to build strong alliances among different communities.

In 2003, with the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, the OSCE participating States committed themselves to strengthen education about the Roma and Sinti genocide. Through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, ODIHR promotes knowledge about and recognition of the plight of Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust to counter present-day discrimination and racism, and to promote tolerance. According to ODIHR’s recent publication Teaching about and Commemorating the Roma and Sinti Genocide: Practices within the OSCE Area, seven OSCE participating States officially commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 2 August, while a larger number of states commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims on the International Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an inter-governmental organization and the foremost international network of political leaders and professionals advancing and shaping Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Its 31 member countries are committed to the tenets of the Stockholm Declaration. The IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma aims to increase the commitment of IHRA Member Countries to educate, research and commemorate the genocide of the Roma.

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• OSCE/ODIHR Director concerned about reported rise of hate incidents in the United Kingdom, supports calls for tolerance in a challenging time
• OSCE/ODIHR Director Michael Link expresses shock over Orlando shootings, commends calls for unity in face of hatred and terror
• OSCE workshop in Kosovo focuses on improving the recording of hate crimes

A memorandum of understanding signed on 19 May 2016 by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development, and the Union of Government Employees NGO aims to enhance the transparency and accountability of the community civil service of Armenia’s municipalities, local self-government bodies, and to improve relevant legislation, bringing it in line with international standards to reduce corruption in public administration.

Initiatives will include professional and regular training on principles and international standards of integrity in civil service, corruption risks, detection and prevention of corruption, reforms to training and recruitment of community servants in the regions, identifying legislation containing corruption risks, and recommendations for systemic reform.

“We hope this joint endeavour will contribute to the government’s efforts in implementing the anti-corruption strategy and in promoting efficient and accountable governance in Armenia,” said the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Ambassador Argo Avakov.

David Lokyan, Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Development underlined the importance of co-operation in promoting better civil and community service, integrity and accountability among the local authorities, legislation reform in ensuring high-quality public administration in line with international standards throughout the regions in Armenia.

The initiative builds on Office-supported activities to train civil servants; improve the civil and community service system, including recruitment, monitoring and attestation; and to mainstream integrity in the public administration. A series of training courses for civil servants were held by the Union of Armenia's Government Employees NGO with the support of the OSCE Office and in partnership with the Civil Service Council of Armenia.

Vache Kalashyan, Chairperson of the Union of Government Employees, said: "We enjoy continuous co-operation with the civil and community services sector and are happy to enhance knowledge of corruption risks, conflict of interest, integrity and strengthen civil servants’ impact in delivering accountable and high-quality services on behalf of the State.”

Between 2009 and 2015 more than 300 civil servants representing 35 different state services were trained with the OSCE Office’s support on integrity, anti-corruption and ethics. 

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BELGRADE, 8 April 2016 - On the occasion of International Roma Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the United Nations Country Team in Serbia, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade reaffirm our strong commitment to equality and non-discrimination.

Today, the Romani community, Europe's largest ethnic minority, still experiences multiple discrimination and marginalisation in countries throughout Europe, including Serbia.  Roma remain one of the most vulnerable groups; they continue to face difficult living conditions and discrimination in access to social protection, health, employment and adequate housing, as stated in reports by both relevant international mechanisms and independent bodies of the Republic of Serbia.

Thousands of Roma represent the most vulnerable and marginalised among the population of internally displaced, still facing obstacles in accessing rights and durable solutions.

International and European human rights standards clearly provide for equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on all grounds, including ethnicity. The realisation of Roma inclusion will reinforce everyday democracy and the rule of law. It is the only way to reach a society based on the principle of equality of opportunity where everyone has the right to participate and to be heard.

On this day, we therefore call on all relevant stakeholders to pursue with determination 
Roma inclusion policies in Serbia, pursuant to the recent adoption of a new Strategy of Social Inclusion of Roma for the Period from 2015-2025 and the Action Plan for Realization of Rights of National Minorities by the Government of Serbia.

The Delegation of the European Union, the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the United Nations Country Team in Serbia remain committed to improving the lives of Roma in Serbia and  ensuring that their fundamental rights are respected, and to supporting our Serbian partners in this endeavour.

International Roma Day is celebrated annually on April 8, in commemoration of the 1971 founding of the International Romani Union, the first major international Romani civic initiative.

Statistical information on Roma in Serbia

• 90% of children in Roma settlements are growing up in poverty. The infant and under-5 mortality rate is two times higher than that of the general population, 15% of Roma children are born with low birth weights, one fifth is malnourished and only 13% are fully immunized.
• Romani children continue to face discrimination in the education system. Only 6% of children from Roma settlements attend early learning programs, only 64% finish primary school on time, and  only 22% attend secondary school (of whom only 15% are girls).
• Romani women and girls face multi-sectoral discrimination, as well as heightened barriers of access to services, including services for victims of violence.    Early, arranged marriage remains an issue in some segments of Serbia’s Romani communities, with very destructive consequences for – in particular – the child bride.

For more information & media inquiries please contact:

Aleksandra Stamenkovic, United Nations Country Team Communications Expert, email: aleksandra.stamenkovic@one.un.org, Phone +381 11 415 5314

Nadezda Dramicanin, Delegation of the EU to Serbia Communications Officer, e-mail: Nadezda.DRAMICANIN@eeas.europa.eu, Phone: +381 11 3083 200

Ivana Milatovic, OSCE National Political and Press Affairs Officer, e-mail: ppiu-serbia@osce.org, Phone +381 11 3606 151

Mona Alghaith, Council of Europe Office, Assistant to the Head of Office, e-mail: mona.alghaith@coe.int, Phone. +381 11 71 555 00

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CHISINAU, 24 June 2016 – The Special Representative of the German OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Cord Meier-Klodt, concluded today his fourth visit to the region in 2016 to meet with political representatives in Chisinau and Tiraspol.

During the visit, Ambassador Meier-Klodt followed up on progress by the sides in implementing the protocol signed as a result of talks in the 5+2 format in Berlin on 2 and 3 June 2016.

“During the 5+2 talks in Berlin, the sides committed to achieve specific outcomes on key issues before the Bavaria conference in July,” said Ambassador Meier-Klodt. “Since then, the sides have finalized agreements in the field of ecology, an achievement that demonstrates their ability to follow through on commitments reached at the negotiating table.”

The Special Representative highlighted the spirit of co-operation that characterized the recent 5+2 talks, as reflected in the unanimous support for the Berlin protocol expressed by the international partners.  

“In my meetings in Chisinau and Tiraspol, I underscored the need for fresh vision and thinking on these issues that focuses on the gains for both sides,” the Special Representative said. “In that context, I urge the sides to redouble their efforts to implement the remaining issues contained in the Berlin protocol.”

Talks in the 5+2 format include the participation of representatives of the sides, Mediators and Observers – Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union.

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The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the final in a series of three training sessions for 12 psychologists and professionals working with domestic violence victims. The session took place on 27 June 2016 in Rybnitsa, a town on the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River.

The event aimed to equip participants with essential skills in family counselling and post-traumatic stress rehabilitation. Participants studied means to identify family violence, various coaching techniques to use when working with families, as well as methods for handling trauma and post-traumatic stress among domestic violence victims.

In the past week, similar training events have been held in Chisinau and Tiraspol with the total participation of 50 professionals from Bender, Causeni, Chisinau, Comrat, Drochia, Rybnitsa and Tiraspol.

Participants in the training sessions included psychologists, teachers, medical professionals, lawyers and social workers, all of whom encounter cases of domestic violence in their work through Moldova’s referral system.

The training events were held as part of the Mission’s project to strengthen the capacity of those who provide crisis services to women and families on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. The project was developed following a country-wide assessment conducted in 2014 and 2015. The assessment identified a number of challenges in this field in Moldova, most notably the difficulties in accessing domestic violence services – including shelters and crisis centres – for those living in rural areas, and a lack of state resources. 

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The OSCE Mission to Moldova held a training event on essential debate techniques for 37 high-school students and 7 teachers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River on 1 to 3 July 2016 in Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the river. The event, which gathered students from Balti, Bender, Cahul, Ceadir-Lunga, Comrat, Parcani, Tiraspol and Vulcanesti, aimed to enhance youth engagement in civic processes at the local and national levels.

“This event has equipped me with skills that will be vital for both my professional and private life,” said Daria Bogdanova, a student from Tiraspol. “Engaging in debates is an excellent way to help us convey our thoughts more convincingly, search for compromise and exercise objectivity.”

The training event introduced students to the Karl Popper debate format that teaches students how to conduct and participate in academic debates, demonstrate leadership, make public speeches, co-operate in teams and apply critical thinking. The aim of the event was to develop students’ analytical and debate skills in order to strengthen their professional opportunities and civic engagement.

The students attending the training will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in a series of two debate tournaments to be held in the autumn. The training sessions and tournaments are organized as part of a one-year project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Comrat-based NGO Piligrim-Demo that aims to actively engage young people, including those representing national minorities, in civic process at the local and national levels by developing their debate skills.

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The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized a summer school on 15-17 July 2016 for 25 lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River aimed at enhancing their ability to represent individuals who have been subject to discrimination. The summer school was held at Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the river.

Participants in the summer school studied various types and instances of discrimination, as well as the existing legal criteria for combating discriminatory actions and practices. In particular, the discussions focused on stereotypes and prejudices that can lead to the unequal treatment of people and looked at the latest trends in international case law addressing discrimination. Participants also had the opportunity to test their understanding of discrimination by taking part in mock scenarios involving gender, linguistic and ethnic bias and hate speech. 

“The problem of discrimination is very relevant in our current environment,” said Nicolae Radita of the Roma National Centre. “The summer school training has provided me with the tools to prevent and combat discrimination more effectively in my day-to-day work.”

Yan Feldman, Chairperson of Moldova’s Equality Council also participated in the summer school and updated participants on recent issues arising out of the Council’s work.

This event is part of a year-long OSCE project that aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences among lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River.

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