10th National Seminar of the European Network of Ombudsmen
The 10th National Seminar of the European Network of Ombudsmen took place under the heading “Ombudsmen against discrimination” and enabled the exchange of experiences and ideas of national Ombudsmen from 30 European countries.
The seminar itself focused on topics such as the rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of older persons or the rights of national minorities. Introductory speeches informed participants about the experience and perception of Ombudsman institutions as well as the relevant EU bodies such as the European Disability Forum or the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Each of the above listed topics was afterwards discussed in more details in separate working groups.
Ombudswoman Brinek took the opportunity of this seminar to meet with Idzet Memeti, Ombudsman of the Republic of Macedonia, and talk about the upcoming Twinning project, which will bring experts from the Austrian Ombudsman Board to the Office of the Ombudsman of Macedonia in May 2015.
On account of the fact that 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the seminar opened with a guided tour of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the touching personal testimony from contemporary witness Marian Truski and concluded with a symbolic visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on 29 April 2015. Ombudsman Kräuter attended this event on behalf of the Austrian Ombudsman Board.
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The organisers of the event Emily O'Reilly (European Ombudsman) and Prof. Irena Lipowicz (Polish Ombudsman) with their guests.
Kräuter and his colleagues from the Board of Directors of the European Region of the IOI: Catherine De Bruecker (Federal OM Belgium) / Peter Tyndall (OM Ireland) / Irena Lipowicz (OM Poland) / Calliope Spanou (OM Greece) / Igli Totozani (OM Albania)
The Mazedonian Ombudsman Idzet Memeti and the Austrian Ombudsmen Dr. Brinek and Dr. Kräuter, who are about to start a twinning project
