Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment (GR-C)

Renc(2014)1EN

As at 22.08.2014 at 15:00

2014 Council of Europe Exchange

on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue

“Intercultural dialogue: interaction between culture and religion”

Draft Programme Baku, Azerbaijan – 1 and 2 September 2014

Hilton Baku Hotel Azadlig Av. 1B Baku, Azerbaijan AZ1000 Tel: 994-12-4645000 http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/promotions/hi_baku/index.jhtml

Sunday 31 August 2014

Arrival of participants Shuttle buses from the airport to the hotel

18.00 – 19.00 Registration of participants at the hotel

19.30 Departure from the hotel

20.00 Reception and Jazz Concert at "Art Garden" Restaurant, Old City Baku offered by the Azerbaijani authorities

Monday 1 September 2014

08.15 – 09.00 Registration of participants at the hotel

09.00 – 09.30 Opening of the 2014 Exchange

High level representatives of the host country - Mr Kamal ABDULLA, State Counsellor of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Multiculturalism, Interethnic and Religious Affairs - Mr Mubariz GURBANLY, Chairman of the State Committee on religious associations - Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur PASHAZADEH, Grand Mufti of the Caucasus, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board

Ms Gabriella BATTAINI-DRAGONI, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Mr Rafael HUSEYNOV, Rapporteur of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media on « Freedom of religion and religious practices », representative of the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Mr Jean-Claude FRÉCON, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of the Council of Europe

09.30 – 09.45 Introductory statements

Co-Chairs of the 2014 Exchange:

Ambassador Luís Filipe CASTRO MENDES Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Council of Europe, Chair of the Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment (GR-C)

Ambassador Drahoslav ŠTEFÁNEK Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the Council of Europe, Chair of the Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H)

09.45 – 10.30 Interventions by High-level religious leaders

Reverend Father Jean Laurent MAZAS, Executive Director of the “Court of the Gentiles”, Pontifical Council of Culture, Holy See

Pastor Roland POUPIN, President of the Commission of relations with Judaism and the Protestant Federation of France

Hegumen Philip RYABIKH, Moscow Patriarchate Representative to the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France

Rabbi René GUTMAN, Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg and Bas-Rhin, France, Permanent Representative of the Conference of European Rabbis to the Council of Europe

Mr Jamie CRESSWELL, President European Buddhist Union, United Kingdom

Intervention by a representative of non-religious convictions

Mr Jean DE BRUEKER, Deputy Secretary General, Centre d’Action Laïque (CAL) (Centre for Secular Action), Belgium

10.30 – 11.00 Coffee break

11.00 – 13.30 PANEL I

“Tolerance of religion and non-religious convictions in culturally diverse societies: a social capital.”

Moderator I: Mr Emin EYYUBOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe, Chairman of the Ministers’ Deputies

Resource persons:

Professor Liliana VANA, PhD in religious studies, specialist in Hebrew law, France

Ms Fatos ARACI, Deputy Section Registrar, European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe

Rapporteur: Father Gabriel NISSIM, Vice-Chair of the Group Democracy, European Construction and Religions (DECERE), in charge of the Working group “Media and Human Rights” of the INGO’S Conference, Council of Europe

13.30 – 15.00 Lunch offered by the Azerbaijani authorities – Hilton Hotel

15.15 – 17.15 PANEL II

“Contribution of religions and non-religious convictions to combating all forms of discrimination, intolerance and violence.”

Moderator II: Ambassador Guido BELLATTI CECCOLI, Permanent Representative of San Marino to the Council of Europe

Resource persons:

Mr Jean-Paul LEHNERS, Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) Bureau, Council of Europe

Mr Moses BECKER, Deputy Chairman of the Georgian Jewish Community of Azerbaijan

Mr David POLLOCK, Head of the Delegation from the International Humanist and Ethical Union to the Council of Europe, trustee of the British Humanist Association, United Kingdom

Rapporteur: Ms Elizabeta KITANOVIC, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Communication, Church and Society Commission, Conference of European Churches (CEC), Belgium

19.30 Dinner hosted by the Azerbaijani authorities – Hilton Hotel

Tuesday 2 September 2014

9.00 – 11.00 PANEL III

“The contribution of cultural heritage of a religious nature to intercultural dialogue and to the respect of the universal values defended by the Council of Europe.”

Moderator III: Mr Jean-Marie HEYDT, President of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and solidarity (North-South Centre)

Resource persons:

Ms Angeliki ZIAKA, Professor of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Ms Krista PIKKAT, UNESCO Representative in Uzbekistan

Rapporteur: Rabbi Mendel SAMAMA, Rabbi of Strasbourg, France

11.00 – 11.30 Coffee break

11.30 – 12.30 Closing session

Report of the three Panels

Father Gabriel NISSIM, Vice-Chair of the Group Democracy, European Construction and Religions (DECERE), in charge of the Working Group “Media and Human Rights” of the INGO’S Conference, Council of Europe, France

Ms Elizabeta KITANOVIC, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Communication, Church and Society Commission, Conference of European Churches (CEC), Belgium

Rabbi Mendel SAMAMA, Rabbi of Strasbourg, France

CONCLUDING REMARKS:

“The contribution of the Exchanges to the intercultural and interreligious dialogue: a perspective for the future’’

Mr Jean-Christophe BAS, Director, Directorate of Democratic Citizenship and Participation, DGII Democracy, Council of Europe

CONCLUSIONS

Ambassador Drahoslav ŠTEFÁNEK Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the Council of Europe, Chair of the Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H)

13.00 Buffet lunch

15.30 Departure from the hotel (see cultural programme next page) 5

16.00 Visit to the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art

17.00 Concert at the International Mugham Center

20.00 Dinner at the Restaurant "Tonqal"

Note: Shuttle buses from the Hotel to the airport according to departures.