Is there a need for performance tuning in the cloud? How does it differ from performance tuning in a non-cloud architecture? Listen in a panel of experts discusses these and other questions.

Karla Readshaw is director of development for Iridescent, a non-profit organization focused on bringing quality STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to young people -- particularly girls -- around the globe. This program was recorded during Karla's presentation at the Women In Technology Breakfast held on October 22, 2018 as part of Oracle Code One.

View the complete show notes.

Oracle Groundbreakers Podcast #368 features a conversation with the winners of the 2019 Oracle Groundbreaker Awards. The discussion covers their career journeys, their thoughts on where software development is today, and on where it’s going tomorrow.

View the complete show notes.

Community Manager Javed Mohammed catches up with the leaders of the Oracle Groundbreakers Latin America Tour.

A group of organizers and presenters from the 12-country Oracle Groundbreakers Latin America Tour 2019 recap the the event over delicious Pakistani food while in San Francisco for Oracle OpenWorld.

Community Managers Bob Rhubart and Javed Mohammed share the best of 25 years of Java.

May 23, 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the first appearance of the Java programming language, as designed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. Despite the emergence of a number of competing languages over the years, Java, under Oracle’s stewardship since 2010, remains one of the most widely used languages in software development. It runs on 3 billion devices worldwide, and is used by more than 12 million developers.

In recognition of this milestone in Java’s evolution, we sought the insight of people who regularly work with Java. We wanted their perspectives on the significance of this anniversary, and on the intersection of Java and their lives, professional and otherwise. As you'll hear, for these people, Java is so much more than a technology.

In this episode Jim Grisanzio talks with Dmitry Alexandrov about his session at Jfokus 2021. Dmitry is a well known speaker at Java conferences globally, and at this month's Jfokus he ran a live coding session on Project Helidon, which is a collection of Java libraries for writing microservices. Dmitry covered the performance improvements and new features in Helidon 2.1. See his session abstract here.

But Helidon is not just a Java engineering project for writing microservices. It's also an Open Source project. So developers can contribute globally via the community on GitHub. This is the real power of the technology -- the people sharing their experience and contributing to the project. And this is where Dmitry really gets emotional when he talks about Helidon. As a software developer, he loves the technology, but there's something special about his tone when he talks about the people he meets in the community.

Dmitry has been a Java Champion for several years now, and he recently jointed Oracle in Bulgaria. Get him on Twitter @bercut2000. Jim Grisanzio is a Sr. Community Manager in Oracle Developer Relations. Get him on Twitter @jimgris. Video from the interview is on YouTube.

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

Hackmakers: Part 3: Jim Grisanzio talks with Steve Nouri about his experiences participating at the Hackmakers World Innovation Day​ Hackathon in April 2021. Steve is head of Data Science at ACS and also the Chair of Hackmakers. Steve loves participating in technical communities and hackathons and he talks about the value for developers in getting involved in these events.

Oracle and other organizations sponsored the event in collaboration with UNESCO and UNEP. The areas of focus for the projects included health, education, and work -- all based on the larger list of United Nations world development goals. 

• Steve Nouri on LinkedIn
• Jim Grisanzio on LinkedIn
• Jim Grisanzio on Twitter
• Video on YouTube

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

Inspiring Builders: Part 2: Jim Grisanzio and Chris Bensen talk with Dale Dougherty from Make Magazine about the global phenomenon of Makers -- people who build with their bare hands and who give back to the community. This story is as old as it gets. We all have an inherent desire to build and collaborate and share, right?

Engaging Communities of Makers - People who Build with their Bare Hands (Video)

Dale Dougherty, Founder of Make Magazine
https://twitter.com/dalepd
https://twitter.com/make
https://twitter.com/makerfaire
https://makezine.com/
https://makerfaire.com/

Chris Bensen, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/chrisbensen
YouTube: Chris Bensen: Inspiring Developers to Build Real Things
Building of Super Pi
Building the world’s largest Raspberry Pi cluster
The Seven Step Process to Creating an Amazing Demo
Starting a New Project — Pi Zero Custom Breadboard
Episode 1 - Custom Breadboard for Pi Zero

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

From the Archives | February 2020, Honolulu Hawaii

Jim Grisanzio talks with Gerald Venzl from Oracle and Chris Thalinger from Twitter at UnVoxxed Hawaii 2020 about the un-conference format, the technical sessions, the mix of conference attendees, and some of the activities people took in during the three day event. 

• Jim Grisanzio https://twitter.com/jimgris
• Chris Thalinger https://twitter.com/christhalinger
• Gerald Venzl https://twitter.com/GeraldVenzl
• Sanbox Conference Center https://sandboxhawaii.org/
• YouTube Video https://youtu.be/nEIngyumfz8

This is part of the "From the Archives" series I'm posting occasionally to revisit some of the interesting personalities I've spoken to and the places where we've been building community here at Oracle. It's nice to look back every now and then. What you'll notice right away is a totally different energy when we're at an event working closely face-to-face. We all miss it. Hopefully we'll return to the road some day. For now, though, let's always remember and never forget. Cheers. ♥︎

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

Here are some photos, stories, and lessons I've collected over the years building Open Source software development communities at Sun Microsystems, Oracle, and on my own. I like taking photos and I like talking to developers — it's how I learn. So in this comprehensive commentary I talk about pretty much everything I've learned during the previous 15 years or so doing community development. Everything I've learned I still use today.

You can follow along with the photos below or view the video. I gave an earlier version of this talk at the All India Oracle User Group's (AIOUG) virtual OG Yatra in 2020, and I've talked about bits and pieces of the content in many other presentations. That's why I wanted to bring it all together into a single narrative centered around some specific images and stories. Hope it hangs together. 

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations

https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

Photos

https://jimgrisanzio.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/grisanzio-community-stories.pdf

Video

https://youtu.be/nzo0PYv4tUM

Article

https://jimgrisanzio.wordpress.com/building-communities/

All India Oracle User Group OGYatra 2020 Slides

https://jimgrisanzio.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/2020-grisanzio-ogyatra.pdf

All India Oracle User Group OGYatra 2020 Video

https://youtu.be/gz7nMtWaUB0

Oracle Developer Relations Social

https://twitter.com/jimgris

https://twitter.com/groundbreakers

https://twitter.com/oracleace

https://twitter.com/oracleugs

https://developer.oracle.com/

From the Archives | December 2019 | Sangam 19, Hyderabad, India

Jim Grisanzio talks with Sandesh Rao and Sai Penumuru about the technology announcements at Sangam 2019 in Hyderabad and also the Sangam and OGYatra development community. In the discussion, Sai and Sandesh covered all the technology announcements Oracle made at the event, and all the community development activities that were taking place at the time. 

Video from the 2019 Interview
https://youtu.be/xvIlOlK0lek 

Sai Penumuru, President, AIOUG
https://twitter.com/sai_penumuru

Sandesh Rao, VP, AIOps, Oracle
https://twitter.com/sandeshr 

All India Oracle Users Group
http://www.aioug.org/ 

Sangam 19 Conference Website
http://www.aioug.org/sangam19/ 

Images from Sangam 19
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJYoaz3 

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Developer Relations talks with Cristina Cifuentes, Ph.D., who is the Director or Oracle Labs Australia. The conversation covers research and development in the labs, working with engineering teams at Oracle to ensure secure products, engaging university students on a FOSS project, and some history from Sun Microsystems as well. Video on YouTube.

Oracle News Connect Article

• Oracle Groundbreakers Podcast: Explore Oracle Labs Australia

Cristina Cifuentes, Ph.D., Founder & Director of Oracle Labs Australia

• https://twitter.com/criscifuentes
  
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcristinacifuentes/
• https://labs.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=labs:bio:0:21

University of Queensland and Oracle Cyber Security Project

• https://www.eait.uq.edu.au/news/article/uq-and-oracle-team-develop-world-class-cyber-security-experts
• https://github.com/uqcyber

Oracle Labs

• https://labs.oracle.com/pls/apex/labs/r/labs/intro

Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations

• https://twitter.com/jimgris
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgris/
• https://developer.oracle.com/team/
• https://oraclegroundbreakers.libsyn.com/

Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Developer Relations talks with Mirela Ardelean about building the Oracle developer community and also the upcoming Oracle Groundbreakers EMEA Virtual Tour 2021 — October 15-29. There will be 70 speakers presenting Oracle technologies over 11 days to 10 UGs! Video on YouTube. Get involved with the event here.

Mirela Ardelean, Oracle ACE, Founder and VP of the Romanian Oracle User Group, Board member of EOUC

• https://twitter.com/Mirela_RoOUG
• http://ogbemea.com

Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations

• https://twitter.com/jimgris
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgris/
• https://developer.oracle.com/team/
• https://oraclegroundbreakers.libsyn.com/

Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Developer Relations talks with Oracle ACE Director Francisco Alvarez Munoz about the upcoming APAC Oracle Groundbreakers APAC Virtual Tour. The event takes place over two weeks starting on November 22 and running through December 7. Thousands of developers are expected to participate along with 100 speakers talking about a variety of topics, such as Java, Database, Cloud, APEX, Developer Tools, Data Science, and more. The event schedule will be posted soon. Check the links below and get involved. Video on YouTube.

Francisco Alvarez Munoz, Oracle ACE Director & President of the APAC Oracle User Community

• https://twitter.com/fcomunoz
• https://twitter.com/apacouc
• https://apacgbt.mykommu.com/

Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations

• https://twitter.com/jimgris
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgris/
• https://developer.oracle.com/team/
• https://oraclegroundbreakers.libsyn.com/

Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Developer Relations talks with Oracle ACE Director Rita Nunez from Argentina to preview the upcoming 2021 LAOUC Evento de Primavera November 9-10. The event will be held online in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and it's free and open to developers globally. Technologies discussed will be Oracle Database, security, APEX, Java, development tools, cloud, and more. Get involved here.

Rita Nunez, Oracle ACE Director

• https://twitter.com/ritan2000 

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 archives episode Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Developer Relations talks with Аlina Yurenko from Oracle on the GraalVM Project. The conversation took place in February 2020 at the Jfokus Java conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Alina talks about the state of the GraalVM project, the community, and Jfokus. Also see the video on YouTube.

Jim Grisanzio talks with John Spurling, a JVM engineer at Twitter, at UnVoxxed Hawaii 2020 about debugging and the mental process of solving difficult technical issues.

John Spurling, Twitter
https://twitter.com/synecdotal 

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

Video on YouTube
https://youtu.be/6dwOPQSJwaI 

UnVoxxed Hawaii
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLF23KD 
https://twitter.com/UnVoxxedHawaii 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX8CzqL3ArzU0APb6QgpMMTMPEz1jok5Q 

Seymour Cray
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray 

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning 
https://www.amazon.com/Make-Stick-Science-Successful-Learning/dp/0674729013 

Java Champion Chandra Guntur previews his Birds-of-a-Feather session — Code Katas for Java — for the upcoming Oracle Developer Live Java Innovations conference on March 22nd and 24th. This conversation was recorded via Zoom on Thursday February 24, 2022.

Chandra Guntur, Distinguished Engineer, Technical Fellow, BNY Mellon 

• @cguntur on Twitter https://twitter.com/CGuntur

Java Development & Community

• OpenJDK https://openjdk.java.net/
• Inside Java https://inside.java/
• Dev.Java https://dev.java/
• @java Twitter https://twitter.com/java

Duke's Corner Podcast

• Jim Grisanzio, Host, Java Developer Relations
  @jimgris on Twitter https://twitter.com/jimgris

JavaOne 2022 Speaker Preview

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Java developer and JavaOne 2022 speaker Bruno Souza from Brazil. 

Bruno is a Java Champion, he's been a board member of the Open Source Initiative, he's on the Executive Committee of the Java Community Process, and he leads the SouJava community in Brazil.

Bruno has been building Java communities for decades, and in recent years he's been helping Java developers build their careers. That's the topic of this podcast and also Bruno's session at JavaOne in October in Las Vegas.

JavaOne 2022 from October 17-20 in Las Vegas

• JavaOne 2022: Registration and Sessions
• JavaOne Update 1
• JavaOne Update 2

Bruno Souza, Brazilian JavaMan

• @brjavaman

Java Development and Community

• OpenJDK
• Inside Java
• Dev.Java
• @java on Twitter
• Java on YouTube

Duke's Corner Podcast Host

• Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Java Developer Relations, @jimgris

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Bruno Souza about his Lifetime Achievement Award for 25 years of building the Java community in Brazil and around the world. The award was presented during the keynote at JavaOne Las Vegas 2022.

Bruno Souza, Brazilian JavaMan
https://twitter.com/brjavaman

Jim Grisanzio, Duke's Corner Podcast Host
https://twitter.com/jimgris

Podcast Video
https://youtu.be/3XDgaxx6iu0

Award Presentation at JavaOne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g59PMSk1oAE&t=2534s

Dev Java
https://dev.java/

Inside Java
https://inside.java/

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Java developer Richard Fichtner at JavaOne Las Vegas 2022 about building the Java community and what Richard loves about Java.

Richard Fichtner, CEO, XDEV Software
https://twitter.com/RichardFichtner

Jim Grisanzio, Duke's Corner Podcast Host
https://twitter.com/jimgris

Podcast Video
https://youtu.be/Icf8AbfMAVw

Dev Java
https://dev.java/

Inside Java
https://inside.java/

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Miro Wengner at JavaOne Las Vegas 2022 about his experiences with Java the technology, and why he loves Java the community. Miro serves on the JCP Executive Committee, he's a Java Champion, and he's a contributor to OpenJDK. He's also a friend I met back on the OpenSolaris project at Sun in 2008!

Miro Wengner, Java Champion
https://twitter.com/miragemiko

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

Images from JavaOne Las Vegas 2022
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAdP6P

Podcast Video
https://youtu.be/FT4qpZRH2xU

Dev Java
https://dev.java/

Inside Java
https://inside.java/

In this conversation Oracle's Jim Grisanzio talks with Java Champion Brian Vermeer at JavaOne Las Vegas 2022 about the thriving Java community in The Netherlands, how to keep the Java community growing globally, and his thoughts on becoming a developer.

Brian Vermeer, Java Champion
https://twitter.com/BrianVerm

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

Images from JavaOne Las Vegas 2022
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAdP6P

Podcast Video
https://youtu.be/Jlk6Dq9dB2c

Dev Java
https://dev.java/

Inside Java
https://inside.java/

Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Stéphane Nicoll, a software engineer based in Belgium working on the Spring team. Stéphane talks about his experience becoming a Java developer, his observations seeing Java evolve and improve, and the importance of contributing to Java and Open Source generally. He's keen on building community by directly engaging engineers at events as well as mentoring contributors through the development process for issue reports and code changes. He said that "building our community is super important for us" as he outlined the process that he and his team uses to welcome new developers. That says it all.

Get Stéphane on Twitter @snicoll and get Jim on Twitter @jimgris

Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Mary Grygleski, a Java developer and Java Champion based in Chicago. The conversation covers Java's longevity, building the Java community, running the Chicago Java User Group, and the constant need to keep learning. Mary embraces the concept of always becoming a beginner whenever there is a need to learn something new. During the interview Mary and Jim also discovered a common background they have with Sun Microsystems and Solaris! 

Mary on Twitter https://twitter.com/mgrygles
Jim on Twitter https://twitter.com/jimgris

Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Marit van Dijk, a Java Champion and Developer Advocate at JetBrains based in The Netherlands. The conversation covers all things Java — the growing community, the latest features to enable developer productivity, contributing to Open Source, advice for students, and Marit's unique background in Social Science Informatics that combines computer science and social science.

Marit on Twitter https://twitter.com/MaritvanDijk77

Marit on the Web https://maritvandijk.com/

Jim on Twitter https://twitter.com/jimgris

Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Praveen Mohan, Director of Java Quality and Infrastructure at the Oracle India Development Center in Bangalore, which is part of the Java Platform Group. The conversation covers the technical details of the quality engineering operation in Bangalore where 40 developers ensure that Java is tested to the highest standards possible before release. Also discussed is how much the team engages the Bangalore Java User Group to build close development relationships with the community.

Jim: https://twitter.com/jimgris
Praveen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohanpraveen/

Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Simon Martinelli, a Java Champion and an Oracle ACE Pro from Switzerland who loves contributing to FOSS projects and teaching students all about Java. The conversation ranges from Simon’s early experience learning Java, working for the Swiss Railway, engaging multiple Java User Groups, and teaching students. Simon also gets into the benefits of modern Java and some of the best features the technology offers for developers.

Simon: https://x.com/simas_ch

Jim: https://x.com/jimgris

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

Related Stories

• Christine Muttonen of Austria elected OSCE PA President, Vice-Presidents and Committee Officers also elected
• OSCE parliamentarians in Tbilisi adopt wide-ranging Declaration on human rights, security and the environment
• OSCE parliamentarians consider resolutions on security, economic and environmental concerns and human rights

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 15 July 2016 launched the first distance course in Ukraine on the application of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Developed, designed and produced by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, the course was finalized after it was successfully piloted on the online platform of the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJU).

From now the NSJU will have this sustainable tool at its disposal for systematically training judges on applying the case-law of the ECtHR without having to involve extra human or financial resources. Thirty judges from all over Ukraine have already been trained distantly and received their certificates of accomplishment.

The content was developed in co-operation with experts on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the ECtHR, and Ukrainian judges.

The course was developed as part of the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, which is being implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports Ukrainian legal education practitioners in developing human rights-oriented approaches to their work
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine trains social entrepreneurs on social media marketing
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports creation of a pool of trainers on anti-corruption for Ukraine’s judges

VIENNA, 16 June 2016 - OSCE Heads of Delegations will visit the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from 19 to 22 June 2016, where they will learn more about the Mission’s work and see first-hand how post-conflict rehabilitation and reform is progressing in the country.

The ambassadors of the OSCE participating States will visit Sarajevo and Travnik. They plan to meet BiH Presidency members; the BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs; representatives of the Inter-Religious Council, international organizations, media and civil society; and visit a storage site for weapons taken out of use.

The visit will focus on areas where the OSCE is working to help build a peaceful, stable future for the country, including education; tolerance and non-discrimination; countering violent extremism; and post-conflict reconciliation, specifically focusing on questions relating to war crimes and sexual violence in conflict.
 
Ambassador Sian MacLeod, Head of the UK Delegation to the OSCE, who is leading the ambassadorial visit, said Heads of Delegations are looking forward to visiting BiH - an OSCE participating State where the organization invests significant time and resources - and are keen to demonstrate their support for the OSCE Mission’s work.

“I am grateful to the German Chairmanship for asking me to organize this visit, demonstrating the continuing commitment of OSCE states to security and stability in the Western Balkans,” said Ambassador MacLeod. “I hope that our visit will underline the importance of reconciliation and reform for a secure, prosperous future for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
 
Ambassador Jonathan Moore, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, expressed his confidence that the trip will foster understanding among Heads of Delegations of the country and the Mission’s role, including its work at the local level.
 
For questions related to the visit, please contact: Zeljka.Sulc@osce.org and Andrew.Peebles@fco.gov.uk       

Related Stories

• Dialogue, trust and security are watchwords for 2016 Germany’s OSCE Chairmanship, Foreign Minister Steinmeier tells OSCE Permanent Council
• Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister addresses OSCE, calls for work toward peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be advanced
• SEECP Chair Daniel Mitov and RCC Secretary General Svilanovic stress deeper cooperation is key in address to OSCE Permanent Council

JAJCE, 19 July 2016 – The recent decision of the Central Bosnian Canton Assembly to divide the secondary school in Jajce, despite court decisions and students’ protests, was the main focus of discussions held today by representatives of the international community in BiH, including the Office of the High Representative, the French Embassy and the USAID Mission Director, who joined the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Jonathan Moore, in meetings with Jajce municipal authorities and civil society. 

Ambassador Moore condemned the decision by the Cantonal Assembly to divide the students against their will. “The children of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve the best conditions for inclusive, quality education.  The creation of yet another case of ‘two schools under one roof’ is a move in exactly the wrong direction, and is not the way to solve other questions such as questions of curriculum or educational certificates.  Practice has shown that administrative unification of divided schools improves conditions for learning and saves scarce resources.  The Canton cannot afford the schools it has now.  We should respect both principles of inclusion and the will of the students.  Local authorities in Jajce should withdraw their request, and cantonal authorities should not implement this mistaken decision,” said Ambassador Moore.

“The recent demonstrations we have seen show that children in Jajce do not want to be divided.  In this, they have our admiration and support. OHR joins the call for authorities of the Central Bosnia Canton to rethink the decision to form a new school in Jajce, and instead refocus their efforts to find solutions to problems in the education sector without endangering the multi-ethnic character of Jajce and the Central Bosnia Canton, “ said Michael Doyle, attending the visit on behalf of the High Representative Valentin Inzko.

“The unity and strength of France are mirrored in the existence of unified schools for all children. As friends of this country, we the French people want to see the same values and principles to be implemented in BiH. I would like to congratulate the Jajce students for their fight and collective spirit”, said Donato Guiliani, cultural counsellor of the French Embassy and director of the French Institute in BiH.

This is the third OSCE-organized visit of international community members to schools and communities in BiH.

Related Stories

• Political science students discuss youth participation in security policy development at OSCE-supported meeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina facilitates visit to National Museum for children from Zepce and Maglaj
• Special Representative of OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on Gender Issues Verveer to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1 to 4 July

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 15 July 2016 launched the first distance course in Ukraine on the application of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Developed, designed and produced by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, the course was finalized after it was successfully piloted on the online platform of the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJU).

From now the NSJU will have this sustainable tool at its disposal for systematically training judges on applying the case-law of the ECtHR without having to involve extra human or financial resources. Thirty judges from all over Ukraine have already been trained distantly and received their certificates of accomplishment.

The content was developed in co-operation with experts on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the ECtHR, and Ukrainian judges.

The course was developed as part of the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, which is being implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports Ukrainian legal education practitioners in developing human rights-oriented approaches to their work
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine trains social entrepreneurs on social media marketing
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports creation of a pool of trainers on anti-corruption for Ukraine’s judges

GENEVA, Switzerland, 17 June 2016 – Addressing the main security risks in the inland transport sector, such as terrorism, theft, illegal border crossings, the trafficking of dangerous substances and waste, was the focus of a joint OSCE-UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Inland Transport Security Discussion Forum on Securing the Global Supply Chain that ended in Geneva today.

More than 40 security experts and officials from Ministries of Transport and the Interior, other relevant agencies as well as road, railway and inland waterway transport operators and private sector associations from across the entire OSCE region participated, also discussing cyber threats which pose a growing danger to increasingly digitalized transport systems.

“Countries in our region need to collaborate more effectively in minimizing cyber security risks to ICT-enabled critical infrastructures including in the transport sector,” said Lorenzo Rilasciati, Senior Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Secretariat. “Transport systems are often insufficiently protected against transnational cyber and other security threats, endanger people’s lives and jeopardises economic and social development. If unchecked, these can even create political tensions and worsen inter-state relations.” 

Experts emphasized the need to introduce a more effective and risk-based approach for all inland modes and identify a common denominator of security threats faced by road, rail and inland navigation. They called for a multi-stakeholder approach involving transport authorities, private sector operators and associations as well as customs and law enforcement agencies.

Eva Molnar, Director at the UNECE Sustainable Transport Division said: “International terrorism and transnational organized crime, including cyber-attacks pose serious threats to the transport sector.  While transport systems should be based on principles of accessibility, affordability, safety, environmental aspects, security considerations should also be taken very seriously.”

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ISSYK-KUL, Kyrgyzstan, 8 July 2016 – A five-day training course supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on a risk-oriented approach in supervising activities related to anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism concluded today in Bosteri village, in the Issyk-Kul region.

The aim of the workshop, which was organized by the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (SFIS) in partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was to update the relevant State agencies and financial institutions on the practical aspects of a risks-oriented approach in their work. Some 46 officials from law enforcement agencies, supervisory agencies and financial institutions took part.

“A risks-oriented approach is the process which allows the countries to identify, assess and understand risks to effectively combat money laundering and financing of terrorism,” said Nana Baramidze, Senior Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Centre. “The OSCE Centre in Bishkek fully supports the efforts of the Kyrgyz Government in its attempt to establish effective systems to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”

Chyngyz Kenenbayev, Head of the Organizational and Legal department of the SFIS, said: “We are holding this educational seminar to train representatives of national authorities and the private sector so that we can successfully pass the second round of the evaluation by the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG). In order to fulfil international obligations under the EAG, the Kyrgyz Republic is to conduct a mutual assessment of its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism system. From 28 November to 9 December 2016, a visiting mission of EAG evaluators will conduct this assessment within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) initiative."

The training course, which was conducted by two IMF experts and three SFIS officials, was part of the OSCE assistance to the Kyrgyz Government in preparing for the second round of the FATF evaluation.

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VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

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Some 18 officers of the Moldovan armed forces, as well as representatives of the Interior and Justice Ministries successfully completed a training course on the safe handling of ammunition stockpiles held at the Military Academy in Chisinau from 23 February to 11 March 2016.

The participants were familiarized with different types of ammunition, including small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition, and were instructed on how to handle, pack and store ammunition.

“Knowing how to handle ammunition in a manner that does not pose a risk to yourself and to those around you is an essential skill for any member of the armed forces, regardless of their rank,” said Per Normark, Programme Manager of the Conflict Prevent and Resolution programme at the OSCE Mission to Moldova. “This training course has equipped participants with practical knowledge on how to handle a range of types of ammunition, thereby building the capacity of the Moldovan armed forces to ensure a secure and safe environment.”

The course, which was supported by the OSCE Mission to Moldova, was conducted by specialized trainers in the National Army with the guidance of a group of experts from Austria and Sweden.

The training course is part of a multi-year project to train Moldovan ammunition specialists. The aim of the project is to provide the specialists with the necessary skills for the safe and secure storage of small arms and light weapons in accordance with OSCE and international best practices.

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KOY-TASH, Kyrgyzstan, 13 April 2016 – A two-day donor assessment of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek’s ongoing programme on small arms and light weapons (SALW) and conventional ammunition (CA) concluded today in Koy-Tash village of Kyrgyzstan.

The assessment coincided with the launch of disposal facility for SALW, jointly organized by the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and the OSCE Centre.   

A delegation comprised of representatives of the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Finland, as well as members of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, OSCE Secretariat, OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Trust Fund. Representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s government administration, the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the State Defence Committee also joined the visit.

The main goal of the programme is to increase the capacities of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces, focusing on effective management and disposal of SALW and CA, improving the relevant normative framework, enhancing the security of the storage warehouses for weapons and ammunition and capacity building among military staff.

According to Colonel Adyl Kurbanov, Deputy Chair of the State Defence Committee, the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek successfully implemented the measures stipulated in the memorandum signed in 2013. He stated that, in the long-term, the contribution of the OSCE Centre will enhance the potential of the Armed Forces and ensure physical security of military depots. “Within the OSCE-implemented programme, Kyrgyzstan will receive modern warehouses that meet all security requirements and safety standards.”

“Some of the major achievements of the programme include the establishment of an electronic record-storing and tracing database, which will significantly help to manage the stockpiles of SALW and ammunition available in the Kyrgyz Republic,” said Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “The database will be the only one operating in Central Asia and it will reflect best practices of the SALW and ammunition management adopted in the OSCE area.”

Rodney Robideau, Grants Officer at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, reassured the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek that additional funds in the amount of USD 100,000 will be allocated in 2016 for the construction of a new warehouse for rockets and artillery in the Buzhum village of Batken oblast.

The donors familiarized with programme activities, and visited warehouses where construction and refurbishment works are ongoing, and where the SALW disposal facility is established and equipped. The representatives of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces organized a demonstration of the destruction of unserviceable weapons through the use of a special hydraulic shear that is considered to be one of the most efficient tools in this field. Donors also visited the training centre for electronic database for SALW and CA record-storing and tracing.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek has been implementing this programme since February 2012 with the financial contributions of the USA, United Kingdom, European Union, Germany, Finland and Kazakhstan.

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VIENNA, 13 April 2016 – As Poland takes over the rotating Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), Under-Secretary of State with the Foreign Ministry Marek Ziółkowski said that one of the main tasks of his country will be to strengthen confidence- and security-building measures by revitalizing the Vienna Document 2011. Moving this process forward and including regional perspectives into the security dialogue with the focus on some areas including the Baltic Sea region, Central and Eastern Europe are the priorities of Poland’s Chairmanship of the FSC.

Opening the 815th meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation Ziółkowski said: “Poland believes that risk reduction is one of the pillars of the Vienna Document-based co-operation. And nowadays the relevance and usefulness of risk reduction mechanisms are growing.”

He noted in particular the proposal made jointly by Poland and other OSCE participating States to improve co-operation regarding hazardous incidents of a military nature.

Poland’s Chairmanship will put an emphasis on regional perspectives in the security dialogue in the OSCE area. Political-military aspects of security in Georgia and Tajikistan as well as Montenegro’s Demilitarization Programme (MONDEM) will also be topics of discussion.

Regarding the crisis in and around Ukraine, the Under-Secretary of State drew attention to the lack of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements and further deterioration of the security situation in Donbas. “The OSCE must retain its focus and resolve to facilitate a peaceful and lasting resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We see room for the FSC to play a more prominent role here. For example, the applicability of the existing set of confidence- and security-building measures could be re-examined and further explored,” Ziółkowski said.

Poland is taking over the Chairmanship of the Forum for Security Co-operation from the Netherlands and preceding Portugal. Ambassador Adam Bugajski of Poland will chair the FSC till the end of the summer recess.

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Montenegro’s Demilitarization Programme (MONDEM) has had a positive impact on promoting the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security, said the country’s Defence Minister Milica Pejanovic-Djurisic as she addressed the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation in Vienna on 20 April 2016, under the Chairmanship of Poland.

Run by Montenegro’s Government, OSCE and UNDP, the Programme has since 2007 contributed to the reduction of the country’s surplus ordnances by 85 per cent, decrease in the number of munitions sites and closure of open-space storage facilities. There are still about 1,900 tonnes of ammunition and some 14,000 pieces of armaments pending destruction.

“The Programme has had a positive impact on human security, counter-proliferation policy, sub-regional confidence- and security-building measures, the national small arms and light weapons control strategy, public administration reform, reducing of environmental pollution and sustainable development,” said Pejanovic-Djurisic.

MONDEM is based on five components aimed at demilitarizing chemicals, ammunition and heavy weapons, developing safe storage infrastructure and enhancing the knowledge and abilities of personnel working in this area.

Pejanovic-Djurisic said that the expert support and assistance provided by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro has contributed not only to the implementation of MONDEM but also to strengthening of democratic institutions and overall reforms in the country.

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Tajikistan’s National Action Plan on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540, which was supported by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan as a way of enhancing the country’s chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear security, was presented to representatives of the international community in Dushanbe on 28 April 2016.

As well as bringing together representatives of international organizations dealing with non-proliferation issues, and embassies and diplomatic missions of the OSCE participating States and the UN members in Tajikistan, some 30 professionals in the area of chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear security in Tajikistan also attended the meeting. The discussion was held to mark the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 on 28 April 2004.

“As we have now already moved to the implementation phase of the Plan, I have no doubt that we all understand the importance of the need to provide resources that are indispensable for strengthening co-operation and collaboration in implementing the approved 1540 measures,” said Fabio Piana, Acting Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “Diplomatic missions of the OSCE participating States or UN Member States in Tajikistan are encouraged to take part in implementing Tajikistan’s National Action Plan, with the aim of ensuring the overall sustainability of our joint efforts.”

Ilkhom Mirsaidov, National co-ordinator on implementing the National Action Plan, thanked the OSCE for the assistance provided in developing the Plan – a process that took two years to accomplish. He also stressed the importance of multilateral co-operation and co-ordination of efforts during its implementation.

The National Action Plan, encompassing various implementation measures on nuclear, chemical, and biological security for 2016-2021, was adopted by Tajikistan’s Government on 9 February 2016.

The Office, in close co-operation with the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, and the 1540 Committee Group of Experts, will continue to assist the Government in the Plan’s practical implementation.

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