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Conference 2015

THE STORY OF A REFUGEE: THE EUROPE OF DREAMS AND REALITY

International conference in honour of Lyudmila Alexeyeva - the winner of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2015

Prague, 30 September 2015, Prague Crossroads

8.30–9.00 Registration

9.00–9.15

  • Opening

  • Opening address from Jiří Dientsbier, Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation

9.15–10.00

  • Interview with Prize Laureate

  • Chair: Michael Žantovský, Václav Havel Library

10.00–11.30

  • Panel 1 / Migration, Natural and Forced

  • Causes and consequences of current waves of migration, military conflicts and poverty, human trafficking as a tool of organised crime, main migration routes.
  • Chair: Martin Palouš, Václav Havel Library Foundation
  • Šimon Pánek, People in Need
  • Anastasia Hagen, model
  • Petra Procházková, journalist
  • Laureate of the VH Prize Lyudmila Alexeyeva

11.30–12.00

  • Coffee Break

12.00–13.30

  • Panel 2 / Borders of Europe, Borders of Humanity

  • A Europe of dialogue or a Europe of quotas? Are current developments sustainable? Is there a limit to European countries’ absorption capacity lie? Are quotas a solution? It is possible to deal with the problem in Europe, or should it be dealt with in countries of origin? Can the problem best be resolved militarily, using the police, through instruments of migration and asylum policy, or by development aid?
  • Chair: Michael Žantovský, Václav Havel Library
  • Jiří Přibáň, Cardiff University
  • Tomáš Jungwirth, think-tank AMO
  • Mohammed Kazkji, Syrian refugee
  • Alma Masic, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (finalist of the VH Prize)

13.30–14.15

  • Lunch

14.15–15.45

  • Panel 3 / Should we fear our own fear?

  • Social, political and cultural problems linked to the current wave of migration: Solidarity vs. xenophobia, tolerance vs. extremism, cultural identity vs. globalisation, responsibility of the media and of politicians.
  • Chair: Martin Šimečka, Respekt
  • Katrine Camilleri, Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
  • Safa Hassani, psychiatrist
  • Manizha Naderi, Women for Afghan Women (finalist of the VH Prize)

15.45–16.00

  • Conclusion

  • Closing comments from Karel Schwarzenberg, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of deputies

The conference will be translated simultaneously in Czech and English.

The online streaming by the Czech television will be available here.

More information about the finalists of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2015