Minister Giulio Terzi will inaugurate the second cycle of meetings on the theme “Human Rights: from Theory to Practice” for the Education students of Rome’s main universities (Sapienza, Tor Vergata, Roma Tre, Luiss, S.Pio V, and LUMSA) on Tuesday 13 March. Illustrating the conclusions of the informal EU foreign ministers meeting in Copenhagen, the minister said that “the human rights of women, and the right to freedom of worship, are among the guiding priorities of the European Union’s foreign and security policy”. EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherin Ashton proposed in Copenhagen “the creation of a special European representative for human rights, with a broad mandate and capable not only of monitoring, but also of promoting, efforts on behalf of third countries on these priority questions, supported by a political declaration and an action plan”, the minister announced. A proposal, Terzi added, “that has earned full support, beginning with Italy’s”. “For months now we have been proposing the advisability — after the Arab spring and the enthusiasm with which the Italian government is supporting this historic evolution — of a reflection that would lead to greater attention to the theme of human rights. This was the main substance of our recent discussions”, Terzi continued, explaining that “everyone recognises the importance of what is happening in the Mediterranean, with particular attention to human rights, on which Italy will continue to insist”.
The ministry initiative began with a cycle of meetings held between October and December 2011, and proceeds on the strength of the success it had with young people and University partners. Participants in the inaugural session include Minister Elsa Fornero, the Hon. Jean Leonard Touadi of the Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee and various representatives of academia, institutions, the civil society and sector NGOs. The event has been organised by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights that operates out of the foreign ministry, in collaboration with the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Human rights (one of the main networks of sector Italian NGOs), the Office for Italy in the European Parliament and the Euro Med Film Festival, which this year will address the theme of civil commitment and human rights promotion in the Mediterranean.
The meetings at the foreign ministry will utilise an innovative formula: each cycle’s speakers will include, in addition to the usual professors and academic researchers, also politicians, government officials and representatives of international organisations, NGOs, civil society and cultural spheres. Ample space will be built in for debate between speakers and students. The programme also provides for periodical meetings to treat themes such as non-discrimination, immigration, violence, trade in and exploitation of women and children, Italy’s strategies for the integration of Roma and Sinti communities and freedom of worship in a multicultural society.
