PRESS INFORMATION

Brussels, 21 October 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY
Eastern Partnership Youth Conference Youth for Rights
#Youth4Rights16
Webpage
Agenda
Accreditation open until 26 October 2016 following the link

What: Eastern Partnership Youth Conference Youth for Rights

When: 27-28 October 2016
Where: Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, Hviezdoslavovo nmestie 3, Bratislava, Slovakia

On 27-28 October 2016 in Bratislava, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) will hold its
Youth Conference Youth for Rights gathering more than 140 young activists from the six Eastern
Partnership (EaP) countries, Russia and the EU who advocate human rights and democratic
development of their societies. The event is held under the patronage of the Slovak Presidency of the
Council of the EU.
H.E. Andrej Kiska, the President of the Slovak Republic, will send a video address to give start to the
discussions. Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General in charge of the Eastern Neighbourhood at
the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European
Commission will deliver the opening address.
27 October
9:00-10:00 Opening address by Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General in charge of the Eastern
Neighbourhood at the DG NEAR of the European Commission
Video address from H.E. Andrej Kiska, President of the Slovak Republic
10:15-12:00 Panel discussion Youth for Human Rights: challenges and perspectives
- Oleksandr Yarema, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport, Ukraine
- Rasul Jafarov, former political prisoner, Human Rights Club, Azerbaijan
Rasul Jafarov was imprisoned for his human rights activities in Azerbaijan. While in prison Rasul Jafarov
received the Andrei Sakharov Freedom Award of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.

- Hennadii Afanasiev, former political prisoner, Special Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Ukraine for the liberation of political prisoners, Ukraine
Hennadyi Afanasyev was arrested by the Russian authorities for openly opposing the annexation of
Crimea by Russia and was released in June 2016. He currently resides in Kiev, from where he is exposing
human rights abuses in Crimea.
Tatiana Kulbakina from Russian Socio-Ecological Union and Jana Zilkova from GLOBSEC will also be
speaking at this panel.
17:30-19:00 Open Space Networking Fair with representatives of the top-ranking specialised university
College of Europe and major NGOs working on youth policies, such as the European Youth Forum,
European Students Union and AEGEE-Europe.
28 October
9:10:10:00 Panel discussion Youth migration a challenge or opportunity for the EaP region?
- Gayane Sargsyan, Forum for the 21st Century Leaders, Armenia
- Mariya Simonova, Clean Universities Anti-Corruption Campaign, Ukraine
- Olga Gordila-Bobeico, Foundation for Development (FAM), Moldova
10:00-11:00 Panel discussion New developments in youth cooperation in the EaP region with the
representatives from DG NEAR, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, EU NEIGHBOURS East project, SALTOYouth Eastern Europe and Caucasus Resource Centre
18:00-19:00 Closing and ceremony for the Young Human Rights Activist 2016 Award to a prominent
human rights defender from the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, Russia or the EU.

For accreditation, please register here.

For further information about the event and accreditation, please contact:
Darya Mustafayeva
EaP CSF Communications Manager
Email: darya.mustafayeva@eap-csf.eu
Phone: +32 486 27 49 47; +32 2893 2585
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About the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) is a unique multi-layered regional civil society
platform aimed at promoting European integration, facilitating reforms and democratic transformations
in the six Eastern Partnership countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Serving as the civil society and people-to-people dimension of the Eastern Partnership, the EaP CSF strives
to strengthen civil society in the region, boost pluralism in public discourse and policy making by
promoting participatory democracy and fundamental freedoms. For more information, please visit the
EaP CSF website at www.eap-csf.eu