Ministers Jeugdzaken bespreken beleid inzake geweldpreventie (en)

Strasbourg, 19.09.2005 - "Human dignity and social cohesion: youth policy responses to violence" will be the theme of a ministerial conference to be held in Budapest on 23 and 24 September, where Youth Ministers in the Council of Europe member states will meet to agree on youth policy measures to prevent day-to-day violence.

Kinga Göncz, Hungarian Minister of Youth, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, will give the welcoming address as the host of the conference and Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis will open the discussions on Friday 23 September at 9.30 am.

The Ministers are due to take stock of youth policies in the field of violence prevention, exchange examples of best practices, decide on joint prevention action and encourage closer partnerships between youth ministries and civil society. The three working sessions will be introduced by Hibat Tabib (France) speaking about urban violence and violence at school, Vesna Leskosek (Slovenia) focusing on racist speech and intercultural dialogue, and Gavan Titley (Ireland) looking at youth participation in violence prevention in Europe.

The final session (Saturday 24) will include a presentation of the upcoming campaign for diversity, human rights and participation, which will be launched in 2006 in the 48 countries that are parties to the Council of Europe's Cultural Convention.

All debates will be open to the press at the Hotel Intercontinental on Friday 23 September and in the Hungarian Parliament on Saturday 24 September.

Kinga Göncz and Terry Davis will hold a press conference on Friday 23 September at 2.30 pm (Hotel Intercontinental, Apáczai Csere J. u. 12-14).

Also, some 80 young people representing youth organisations and associations from all over Europe will participate in the conference. An international youth consultation for the young participants will be held prior to the conference at the European Youth Centre Budapest from 21-22 September to discuss the subjects of the conference and the contribution young people can make to violence prevention policies.

For further information, visit www.coe.int/2005-Budapest_jeunesse and www.youthministers2005.hu

Press contacts:

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  György Bernát, Hungarian Ministry of Youth, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, tel. +361 475 58 05, mobile: +36 30 97 02 702, e-mail : bernat.gyorgy@icsszem.hu
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  Estelle Steiner, Conseil de l'Europe, tél. +33 (0)3 88 41 33 35,

mobile +33 (0)6 08 46 01 57, e-mail : estelle.steiner@coe.int