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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 12967 | 26 June 2012
Living together in 21st-century Europe: follow-up to the report of the Group of Eminent Persons of the Council of Europe
1. The Committee of Ministers considers
the report of the Group of Eminent Persons a timely initiative in that
it places at the centre of the debate certain essential topical
questions which present themselves to all member States, such as
how to reconcile diversity and social cohesion and the rights and
responsibilities of all people, nationals and non-nationals alike.
The Committee of Ministers considers that these questions should be
addressed coherently at European level, in full compliance with
the fundamental rights and freedoms secured by the European Convention
on Human Rights and having regard to national circumstances. It welcomes
the interest shown by the Parliamentary Assembly in the implementation
of the proposals and recommendations of the Group of Eminent Persons.
2. After the presentation and the initial discussion of the report
on the occasion of the 121st Session of the Committee of Ministers
in May 2011 in Istanbul, the Committee of Ministers held two thematic
debates on possible further action. The Committee of Ministers based
its analysis of the possible follow-up on a reference document recapitulating
the various Council of Europe achievements in the fields dealt with.
Considering the wealth and relevance of these achievements, it concluded
that it was important above all to strengthen the Organisation’s
existing instruments and tools and ensure their implementation in
the most effective possible way. The report and the question of
“living together” were also highlighted by the Group of Eminent
Persons on the occasion of the Exchange on the religious dimension
of intercultural dialogue held in November 2011 in Luxembourg.
3. The Committee of Ministers shares the concerns of the Parliamentary
Assembly expressed in paragraph 4 of its recommendation concerning
the growing populist, xenophobic and similar rhetoric, sometimes
used for short-term electoral purposes. It agrees with the Parliamentary
Assembly as to the need for member States to put in place effective
policies to prevent these negative phenomena that require a resolute
response from governments, education institutions, media and international
organisations. Many member States already implement such policies
which include programmes for combating discrimination in various
fields as well as training programmes for police, border guard and
other law enforcement authorities to improve their effective response
to hate crimes, increase their awareness of discrimination problems
and enhance their intercultural competences. More efforts are needed
to prevent hate speech and violence against any person, including against
migrants and persons belonging to minorities (this terminology being
understood in accordance with national legislation). The Council
of Europe, relying on the important work and expertise of ECRI and
its other monitoring mechanisms, should further support member States,
upon their request, in developing appropriate laws, policies and
educational programmes as well as providing training for public
authorities and teachers. The Committee of Ministers is convinced
that the resolute promotion of human rights and attitudes of tolerance
and respect for all persons is the appropriate response to cases
of hate speech and violence.
4. The Committee of Ministers also refers to the Council of Europe’s
White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue which presents diversity as
a resource and advocates an intercultural and intersectoral approach.
The Committee of Ministers encourages member States of the Council
of Europe to actively use the White Paper in their work to promote
intercultural dialogue.
5. The Organisation is working in this direction. For instance,
the education sector conducts activities and programmes intended
specifically to develop intercultural proficiencies and provide
quality education for all. It is appropriate to mention, inter alia, the training of teachers
and teacher trainers under the Pestalozzi Programme, the activities
on behalf of adult migrants’ language education, the linguistic
and educational integration of children with a migrant background
or Roma children, education for democratic citizenship and human
rights in pursuance of the Council of Europe Charter on these questions
(Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)7), the guidelines concerning intercultural
dialogue and the image of the other in history teaching (Recommendation
CM/Rec(2011)6) and the role of higher education in furthering democratic
culture and intercultural dialogue as well as the Council of Europe’s
contribution to European education policy (Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)6).
6. Other relevant initiatives are developed in the youth sector,
particularly aimed at the social integration of young migrants,
the access of young people living in culturally diverse urban neighbourhoods
to social rights, the combat of hate speech on the Internet and
the competence building of young Roma (“Roma Youth Action Plan”).
In the social cohesion sector, initiatives are taken to act against
the poverty of migrants and with regard to respect of social rights,
the provisions of the European Social Charter have a crucial bearing.
The Committee of Ministers tasked the Steering Committee for Human
Rights (CDDH) to conduct in the biennium 2012-2013 a study examining
the feasibility and added value of standard-setting work regarding
human rights in culturally diverse societies.
7. The Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations
(INGO) raised awareness to the report of the Group of Eminent Persons
at its two Civil Society Forums organised in 2011, the theme of
which was “Living together”. The North-South Centre has also made
a contribution to the promotion and visibility of the Group of Eminent
Persons’ report. It was presented at the 2011 Lisbon Forum (3‑4
November 2011), at the Conference “Women as agents of change in
the South Mediterranean region” (Rome, 24-25 October 2011) and at
the 4th Forum of the Alliance of Civilisations (Doha, 11-13 December
2011). The North-South Centre is also guided by the report for its
activities in the youth field (chiefly in the context of young people’s
universities and development) and in that of education (particularly
as part of the preparation of the Pan-European Congress on Global/Development
Education dealing with education for world citizenship).
8. The Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against
Women and Domestic Violence (CETS No. 210) should be seen as a contribution
to achieving greater equality between women and men and as a means
of overcoming some of the causes and consequences of the marginalisation
of women in a situation of vulnerability.
9. The Council of Europe Development Bank finances investment
projects presented by its member States, which contribute to the
integration of vulnerable populations, aimed in particular at migrants
and Roma.
10. The Council of Europe and the European Union are running several
joint programmes along these lines, particularly the Intercultural
Cities project, the European Academic Network on Romani Studies,
the Programme “Shaping perceptions and attitudes to realise the
diversity advantage” (SPARDA) and, founded on the results of the
Campaign “Speak out against discrimination”, the MARS programme
– Media Against Racism in Sport – aimed at developing a European
network of media for diversity and intercultural dialogue. Finally,
a cultural policy information system offers
data for 43 Council of Europe member States on their approaches
to cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.
11. The Committee of Ministers continued its reflection in the
framework of a thematic debate in June 2012 on the theme “Living
together implies having a level of common competences as regards
intercultural and democratic dialogue, as well as a system of attitudes,
behaviour and common values. Can these be taught?”. Furthermore,
in the framework of its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers,
Albania will organise in November 2012, in Tirana, a High-level
Conference on: “Diversity in Europe, an asset for the future”; “Promoting
intercultural dialogue – a task for society as a whole in Europe
and beyond” and “The role of education and the contribution of young
people towards promoting mutual understanding, tolerance and better integration
in society”, as important elements of “Living together”.