Hosted by the City of Kraków, Poland, the conference is a meeting point for experts representing cities from around Europe. The Forum is a platform for fostering equal and inclusive open urban communities, as well as an opportunity to learn, exchange good practices, and open up new horizons of international cooperation.

Kraków’s local and international partners will meet to discuss a municipal perspective on human rights. Their experience and commitment in the field of equality policies is sure to provide inspiration and build hope for a better future for our local communities.

Mindful of the challenges of rising nationalist sentiments, growing populism and out-of-control hate speech in the digital space and beyond, we will discuss tensions generated in strongly polarised societies functioning in the demanding realities affected by economic crisis, long-term impact of the pandemic, and war induced insecurity. Cities, as organisms most closely intertwined with the local communities, play an extraordinary role in championing human rights and boosting social sensitivity and empathy. This responsibility is taken on by officials and civil servants in many empathic cities across Europe. It is the good practices and effective tools they have been implementing that we want to showcase at the Kraków conference.

Finally, the forum will be an opportunity to gain insights into and discuss the framework of human rights cities as defined by the Fundamental Rights Agency in "Human rights cities in the EU: a framework for reinforcing rights locally". The pivotal report, produced by FRA in 2021, indicates paths for the implementation of equality policies in urban policies.

The event has been granted media patronage by the "Architektura & Biznes" magazine.

REGISTRATION FORM

The registration for the event ends on May 12th (Friday), 2023, at 12:00 p.m.

PROGRAMME

DAY I

9.30–10.00 Registration

10.00–10.10
Official opening: Address by The Mayor of the City of Krakow Jacek Majchrowski

10.10–10.30
Opening remarks: Kraków for equality - together for change
Nina Gabryś, Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Krakow for Equality Policy

10.30–10.45
Human rights cities in the EU: a framework for reinforcing rights locally
Geraldine Guille, Policy Analysis and Stakeholder Cooperation, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights

10.45–12.00
Discussion panel “European Cities and Human Rights – New Challenges, New Ideas”

• Bordeaux, Olivier ESCOTS - Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux in charge of disability and the fight against all forms of discrimination
• Leipzig, Pia-Marieke Heyne, City of Leipzig Head of Office for Democracy and Social Cohesion
• Leuven, Lies Corneillie - Deputy Mayor for equal opportunities

12.00–12.30 Coffee break

12.30–13.00
Solutions for tomorrow. Case study: “Vienna, Human Rights City – A highly liveable city committed to values”
Shams Asadi, Human Rights Commissioner and head of the Human Rights Office of the City of Vienna

13.00–13.30
Solutions for tomorrow. Case study: “Nuremberg – City of Peace and Human Rights; Obligation and Implementation”
Helga Riedl, Human Rights Office – City of Nuremberg

13.30–14.00
Solutions for tomorrow. Case study: "Challenges faced by people with disabilities, implementation of their rights and legitimate interests in the city of Kyiv in war conditions”
Lesia Petrivska, Commissioner of the Kyiv City Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

14.15–15.30 Lunch break

15.30/45
Kraków Equality Trail – walking tour (number of participants is limited) – in English

20.00–21.30
Welcome reception hosted by the Mayor of Kraków, Professor Jacek Majchrowski
Potocki Palace, Rynek Główny 20

DAY II

9.30–10.00 Registration

10.00–11.00
Keynote Speaker: "Dialogue in times of division"
Kishan Manocha, Head of the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – ODIHR

11.00–11.30
Lecture: "Human rights cities – the Polish context. Where are we and where are we headed towards?"
Marta Siciarek, Instytut Miast Praw Człowieka 

11.30–12.00
Lecture: "Equal rights space - how do others fit into this "universally" designed space?"
Ewelina Jaskulska, architect, Architektoniczki collective

12.00–12.30 Coffee break

12.30–13.00
Sustainable development? How to effectively integrate SDGs on the local level - Example: Culture.
Robert Piaskowski, Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Kraków for Culture

12.30–13.00
"Polish cities towards equality – how can local governments cooperate with each other?"
Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, Chairwoman of the Equal Treatment and Human Rights Commission at the Association of Polish Cities, Deputy Mayor of the City of Sopot

13.00–14.30
Discussion panel: "How do Polish local governments fight for human rights?"

•  Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, The Deputy Mayor of Sopot
•  Monika Chabior, Deputy Mayor for Social Development and Equal Treatment of Gdańsk
•  Karolina Zdrodowska, Coordinating Director for Entrepreneurship and Social Dialogue - Warsaw
•  Nina Gabryś, Plenipotentiary for the Mayor of Kraków for equality policy

14.30–14.45
Closing remarks

14.45–15.45   Lunch break

16.00
Kraków Equality Trail - walking tour (number of participants is limited) - in Polish

GUESTS BIO

Olivier Escots

Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux in charge of disability and the fight against all forms of discrimination. Initially a union activist, committed to others and to public service, Olivier was elected in 2020. He is mobilising the entire municipal team on anti-discrimination policies, based on an action plan voted by the City Council in July 2022.

Pia-Marieke Heyne

City of Leipzig Head of Office for Democracy and Social Cohesion, Marieke is responsible for managing such topics as violence and extremism prevention as well as education in democracy and citizens‘ participation. A special focus lies on young people and the support of underrepresented groups. Previously, Ms. Heyne worked in the field of migration and integration for the Caritas in Northern Germany. She established the department of refugee support and social integration and led projects working with partners from politics, social welfare, economy and civil society.

Lies Corneillie

Deputy mayor for housing, equal rights and locally implemented global policy for the Green party in the city of Leuven, Belgium, since January 2019. She has 10 years of experience in working with youth around gender equality, diversity, inclusivity and human rights.  She was elected as a member of the city council of Leuven in 2012.

Shams Asadi

Shams Asadi is the Human Rights Commissioner and head of the Human Rights Office of the City of Vienna. She studied architecture and urban planning and graduated from the University of Technology in Vienna. She has many years of practical and academic experience in Urban Regeneration and Urban Development with a focus on European and international affairs. The human rights dimension of urban development accompanied her from beginning of her professional life and since 2010 human rights are the main subject of her career.

Helga Riedl

Officer at the Human Rights Office of the City of Nuremberg. Helga Riedl holds a master’s degree in education and political science. At the Human Rights Office of the City of Nuremberg, she is responsible for human rights education. Helga develops seminars and projects for target groups such as pupils, students, administrative, police and military staff often with a historical-political context.

Lesya Petrivska

Commissioner of the Kyiv City Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Lesya Petrivska, currently working for the  Kyiv City Council Secretariat, has a background in social work concentrating on people with hearing disabilities. A sign language interpreter herself, she is a co-founder of the All-Ukrainian Association of Sign Language Interpreters and People with Disabilities.

Kishan Manocha

Head, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Kishan Manocha is the Head of the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw. From 2015-2020, he was ODIHR’s Senior Adviser on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Kishan has extensive experience in freedom of religion or belief and related human rights issues, including hate speech and hate crime as an advocate, researcher, trainer and consultant to a number of international and non-governmental organisations.  He holds degrees in psychology and medicine from the University of London and in law from the University of Cambridge.