Programme

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Moderator: Ms Jacki Davis of Meade Davis Communications

9.30 a.m. – Inaugural session

  • Mr Séamus Boland, President of the Diversity Europe Group at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Mr Jean-Marc Roirant, President of Civil Society Europe
  • Ms Vera Jourová, European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency (video message)
  • Ms Christa Schweng, President of the EESC

10.05 a.m. – Civil society: fundamental rights and civic space

  • Mr Filip Pazderski, presentation of the first results of the EESC study on 'The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights and civic space' (European Civic Forum, Civil Society Europe, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Institute of Public Affairs)
  • Ms Ingrid Bellander-Todino, Head of Unit of Fundamental Rights Policy, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
  • Mr Andreas Accardo, Head for Institutional Cooperation and Networks, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights
  • Ms Brikena Xhomaqi, Co-chair of the EESC Civil Society Liaison Group and Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform
  • Mr Cristian Pîrvulescu, president of the EESC's Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law and Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
  • Open discussion

11.15 a.m. – Coffee Break

11.35 a.m. – Experiences with civil dialogue at national and European level

  • Ms Linda Ravo, presentation of the study 'Civil dialogue in Europe and at National level' (European Civic Forum and Civil Society Europe)
  • Daily experiences on the ground
    • Ms Neža Repanšek, Facilitator at the National Youth Council of Slovenia and Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
    • Ms Elena-Alexandra Calistru, President of Funky Citizens (Romania) and Mr Ionuţ Sibian, Executive Director of the Civil Society Development Foundation (Romania), Members of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
    • Mr Arnaud Schwartz, President of France Nature Environnement and Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
    • Ms Sif Holst, Vice Chairperson of the Disabled People's Organisations Denmark and Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
  • Open discussion

1 p.m. – Lunch break

2.30 p.m. – Current challenges and responses from civil society in Europe

  • Dr Rupert Graf Strachwitz, Director of the Maecenata Institute for Philanthropy and Civil Society, Berlin
  • Ms Karolina Dreszer-Smalec, Vice-President of the European Civic Forum, President of the National Federation of Polish NGOs
  • Mr Ioannis Vardakastanis, Vice-President of the Diversity Europe Group and rapporteur for the information report on the European statute for associations and NGOs
  • Ms Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, Director of the Croatian civil society organisation "Sustainable Community Development" (ODRAZ) and Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group
  • Open discussion

3.30 p.m. – Steps ahead for strengthening organised civil society and democracy

  • Mr Niklas Nienaß, Member of the European Parliament (EP) and member of the EP delegation to the Conference on the Future of Europe
  • Mr Andris Gobiņš, Member of the EESC Diversity Europe Group and spokesperson of the EESC's Associational Life category
  • Ms Alexandrina Najmowicz, Secretary-General of the European Civic Forum and co-chair of the Civil Society Convention on the Future of Europe
  • Open discussion

4.15 p.m. – Concluding remarks

  • Mr Jean-Marc Roirant, President of Civil Society Europe
  • Mr Séamus Boland, President of the Diversity Europe Group at the EESC

Simultaneous interpretation will be available from FR DE EN IT NL DA EL ES PT FI CS SL RO HU PL and into FR DE EN IT EL ES PT FI CS RO PL.