Local responses to human rights challenges – migration, discrimination, social inclusion will be the overarching theme of the two annual sessions of the Council of Europes Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in March and October 2015.
In this context, the 28th Session, to be held in the Palais de lEurope, Strasbourg (France) from 24 to 26 March, will include several events relating to this central theme, in particular a debate on the response of local and regional authorities to migration flows on the first day, the award ceremony for the first prize in the Diversity Advantage Challenge, and a presentation of the Council of Europes No Hate Speech Campaign.
On Wednesday 25 March, the members of the Congress will be considering a draft resolution and recommendation on Responses to radicalism in Europes cities and regions: fighting terrorism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hate speech and, on the same day, they will be holding an urgent debate on Cities and towns against terrorism.
Several reports will also be debated for adoption, including Guaranteeing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) peoples rights: a responsibility for Europes towns and cities and Jewish cemeteries, the responsibility of local authorities. In addition, as part of its monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the Congress will be considering the reports on local and regional democracy in Greece, Norway and Poland.
There are three thematic debates also on the agenda: The United Kingdom: prospects for devolution, Scotland in the aftermath of the 18 September 2014 referendum and The regional dimension of the process of decentralisation in Ukraine.
The members of the Congress will also be considering the motions for a resolution and recommendation on Electoral lists and voters residing de facto abroad and Criteria for standing for local and regional elections.
