Program (click on the name for more info about speaker)

Monday, December 10, 2012

09:30-10:00 Registration of participants

10:00-11:00 Opening session

Welcoming remarks: Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Social of Affairs (VIDEO)
Presentation of the Report
on Human Rights in Estonia:
Mart Nutt, MP, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Institute of Human Rights (VIDEO)
Karin Reivart, Research Manager, Turu-uuringute AS (VIDEO)
Moderator: Vootele Hansen, Chairman of Estonian Institute of Human Rights

11:00 – 12:40 Session 1

Human Rights and Security: Protecting victims and providing justice

In the modern world, the vast majority of casualties in armed conflicts are civilians. How should the international community react to human rights violations in conflict zones? Could a conflict exist between the requirements of peace on the one hand and justice, on the other? How can we implement the concept of Responsibility to Protect in practice? How does the promotion of human rights influence the ability of Western nations and institutions to interact with the rest of the world?

Keynote speech: Stephen J. Rapp, United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Panelists: Anthony Dworkin, European Council on Foreign Relations, Senior Policy Fellow (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Stephen J. Rapp, United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice
Gentian Zyberi, University of Oslo, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, Associate Professor (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Jeffrey D. Levine, United States Ambassador in Estonia (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Moderator: Riina Kionka, Head of Central Asia Division, European External Action Service; former Personal Representative for Human Rights in the area of CFSP for SG/HR (VIDEO)

12:40 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 15:40 Session 2

Human Rights and the Internet: Shutting Down the Internet, Shutting Up the World

UN Human Rights Council Resolution L13 (6 July 2012) stresses that human rights must also be guaranteed in cyberspace. There is no doubt that the Internet has become an important resource for acquiring information, disseminating points of view and creating networks. Restricting Internet freedom also poses a direct threat to human rights. The panel will discuss these threats: who wants to restrict the Internet? Why and how are they doing it? How should we respond?

Keynote speech: Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media  (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Panelists: Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Thomas Zerdick, policy officer, DG Justice, European Commission  (VIDEO discussion)
Malavika Jayaram, Fellow at the Centre for Internet and Society, India (VIDEO discussion)
David Mothander, Google Nordic Policy Counsel  (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Moderator: Dr Katrin Merike Nyman-Metcalf,  Tallinn University of Technology, member of the Council of Estonian Human Rights Centre

15:40 – 16:10 Coffee break

16:10 – 17:50 Session 3

Contemporary Human Rights Challenges in a Changing Global Balance of Power

The panel will focus on the role of human rights policy in the changing international environment. Does the shift in global power away from the West force a system based on democracy, human rights and the rule of law onto the defensive? How do we promote our values while engaging with authoritarian countries? Should human rights policy consider local needs and conditions?

Panelists: Anna Sevortian, Director of Human Rights Watch´s Russia Office
Frank Johansson, Director of Amnesty International´s Finland Office (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Douglas Davidson, US State Department Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues; former Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Dr Anja Mihr, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Associate Professor (VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT)
Moderator: Hannes Hanso, Researcher, International Centre for Defence Studies

17:50 – 18:00 Conclusions

Dr Mart Nutt, MP, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Institute of Human Rights (VIDEO)

18:30 – 21:30 Dinner, hosted by the President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves

The dinner will be the Swissôtel Tallinn (6. floor).

N.B! The organiser reserves the right to make changes in the programme and the presenters