Cancelled: Reykjavík Summit High-Level Side Event Uniting Around Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this meeting has been cancelled

Registration link

The Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine has brought war back to Europe and shaken the European multilateral architecture to the core. The Reykjavík Summit is the 4th Summit in the 74-year history of the Council of Europe and reflects the critical importance of uniting around our common values and vision of a Europe where democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are respected and protected, in pursuit of security and stability.

The Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine is not the only challenge facing Europe and the world today. Democratic backsliding, rising authoritarianism, the backlash against women’s rights, climate change and the misuse of new technologies, are but a few examples.

On the margins of the Reykjavík Summit, this high-level side event will bring together leaders of key international bodies to discuss imminent challenges and how the Summit is generating a momentum for a peaceful and stable Europe.

Focus will be on how to bring this momentum home to the people of Europe and specifically how the multilateral architecture can galvanize a popular support for fundamental values and principles – especially now, in the context of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Opening remarks: Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland.

Speakers:

• Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
• Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
• Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe

Moderator: Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and former Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR

The event will be held in-person and streamed online. Discussions will be in English.

The event will be open to the public, please register in advance here.