An EIFS finish coat is a textured, paint-like material. It’s usually made with acrylic resins or a blend of acrylic resins and other resins, such as silicones. The hardness of the coating and its textured surface make it susceptible to getting dirty.

When I do technical seminars about EIFS, one of the most frequent questions is, “Should I use adhesives or mechanical fasteners (screws plus washers), or even both, to attach the foam insulation to the wall?” The answer depends on a number of factors, and sometimes you have no choice about which to use. 

Resolution Engineering Inc., Hudson, Wis.,is a provider of RF/wireless and embedded systems design services, while sister company Resolution Products produces a wide range of common use and wireless security devices. Until recently, “green” qualities weren’t on the radar for these types of products, so today, Resolution Engineering is thrilled to see increased attention focused on sustainability. The company’s products, services and operations have incorporated sustainable attributes for years. John Bergman, one of the founders of the company, is the driving force behind the company’s sustainable practices. 

K9s United is a dedicated non-profit organization that focuses on providing essential training, equipment and resources to support law enforcement canines.

Evidence that animals mourn the death of loved ones is growing, but we should be wary of letting our biases cloud this topic, says philosopher Susana Monsó

At least two young Christian girls have been abducted and abused in Pakistan within the last three months, sparking concerns over the vulnerability of minority girls and the barriers to justice they face.

Robotic dogs are patrolling President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida days after his election victory as the Republican has faced two assassination attempts and reports of an Iranian murder plot against him.

Jerry "The King" Lawler with Jim Ross.; Credit: WWE

Jim Ross is the most famous pro wrestling play-by play commentator of all time. He's a native Californian, but grew up in Oklahoma and took his trademark drawl into doing commentary. He's worked in wrestling for more than 40 years, calling matches on shows seen by millions of people around the world.

This weekend, he's in the Bay Area for Wrestlemania weekend (the first Wrestlemania in Northern California, and the first in California in 10 years). Ross no longer commentates for WWE, but he's still a storyteller, online and in person. He hosts regular live storytelling shows with stories from his decades-long career and a bit of comedy, along with a live guest, and he also has a huge online presence including a podcast that went to number one in sports its first week out.

Ross has been watching wrestling since he was a kid.

"My dad wasn't a big fan of it. He missed the point. The point is not whether it's real or if it's staged. The point is, are you entertained by it, or not? And I was," Ross said.

He's been at ringside for numerous historic matches, helping the wrestlers to tell their stories ever since he got his first job in wrestling out of college at 22.

"The greater the star, the easier it is to tell their story," Ross said. "Those participants make music. They make different kinds of music, and the announcers, the broadcasters, have to be able to provide the adequate lyric to the competitors' music."

Ross's voice is so powerful that it's become a meme online to pair his voice with another dramatic footage, from sports and beyond — you can even find it paired with dramatic moments from shows like "Breaking Bad" and "Game of Thrones." Ross says that the first time he saw someone do that was with a hit by Michigan running back Jadaveon Clowney, a video which went viral and sparked others to do likewise.

The JR Treatment

"I get sent these memes all the time. 'Hey JR, check this one out.' Or people will say, somebody will make a great dunk at an NBA game, and somebody will say 'I can't wait to see this get the JR treatment.' And now there are major sports websites that will send out a tweet, 'Here's a great play from Sunday's 49er-Charger game that's got the JR treatment.' So now it's got a name. 'The JR Treatment.'"

Those viral videos have even helped him land new commentating roles since leaving WWE. He did a call of a fight between NASCAR drivers for the Daytona 500 for a special pre-show video, and it's led to him having opportunities in traditional sports.

"It's been done in boxing, and MMA. Believe it or not, I've gotten feelers that we're entertaining now from a variety of combat sports entities that actually heard what my call would sound like doing their product," Ross said. "It had my tone, had my inflection, had my level of enthusiasm."

Ross also played a huge role behind the scenes, working as WWE's executive vice president of talent and signing future stars like the Rock, Mick Foley and more. He says that Mick Foley's match against the Undertaker in 1998's Hell in a Cell match was his most memorable to call.

"I have people walk up to me and start quoting my commentary when Undertaker threw Foley off the Hell in a Cell, this massive cage with a roof on it, that was about 17 feet high from the roof to the floor," Ross said. "It looked like no human being, quite honestly, could survive that fall. You don't practice falls like that in wrestling school."

Ross has managed to stay relevant with the help of a popular podcast and 1.3 million followers on Twitter, where he regularly dispenses his thoughts on wrestling and beyond. He started doing that podcast after being lobbied to do it by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and continues to try new things.

"I was very reluctant to engage in social media, and primarily because we sometimes get set in our ways, especially the older we get," Ross said. "But change, for any of us, in any walk of life, whether it's your diet, it's your relationships, the way you approach your job, or any changes that you need to affect, whether it's on doctor's orders, your significant other's suggestions — change is not always a negative thing. So I got on Twitter, and then Twitter connected me to so many people."

While some may feel that pro wrestling, given its predetermined results, doesn't need real athletes, Ross disagrees and says there are plenty of reasons to want real athletes.

"They're competitive. They don't want to be on the second team. They want to be in the game. And they've been in that mindset since some of them were in little league, or Pop Warner football, or elementary school wrestling, or whatever it may be."

He says they also understand how to be coached and how to play well with others, as well as handling the bumps and bruises that come with the territory and the difficult travel schedule.

"I don't know that anybody in any entity, unless you're the most well-traveled comedian or entertainer, has that. Because the thing about pro wrestling is it doesn't have an off-season, so you don't get a chance to really go recharge your batteries. You've got to maintain that competitive edge to survive."

Ross says there's one match he wishes he had another shot at calling: Ric Flair's retirement match against Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl. While Ross has traditionally been a play-by-play commentator, that night he was assigned to be a color commentator, which gave him some different challenges.

"I thought I had great stories to tell because of my relationship with Ric — I've known him for 25 years — and I didn't think that I contributed as much to that match from an emotional standpoint as I could. I was obligated to get in soundbites and get in, get out," Ross said. "That's the biggest match at the biggest stage, and I love both those guys, and I really wanted to be extra special that night, and I just don't know in my heart that we got there."

He says California has its own wrestling legacy to be proud of. The California Wrestlemania match that Ross says he'll always remember: Bret Hart versus Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 12 in Anaheim, where two now wrestling legends wrestled for more than an hour.

He also thinks the economics of Wrestlemania make a lot of sense for whichever city hosts it, thanks to the travelers it draws in from around the world. Cities now bid to try to bring in Wrestlemania, Ross says. With Los Angeles gearing up to build a new stadium, Ross has a Wrestlemania prediction for that stadium.

"I will bet you money — I will bet you some of my barbecue sauce — if L.A. builds a stadium, that Wrestlemania will be one of the first non-football events in that stadium. And they will sell it out. They'll fill every seat. And it'll be great for the city, and the businesses of Los Angeles.

Ross says that what made him a great broadcaster is the same thing that can make someone a success in wrestling or anywhere else — most importantly, don't talk down to your audience.

"You have to be a fan of the genre, or a fan of the game, and you have to be willing to prepare and be ready for your broadcast," Ross said. "You have to be willing to tell the story that the average fan — not the hardcore fan, but the average, casual fan can understand and relate to. ... You know, we're storytellers, and some people are just natural-born storytellers."

Ross plans to continue telling stories for the foreseeable future, on stage, online, calling matches in the legit sports world and wherever else his life takes him. He's even gotten into acting — you can see him in the new film "What Now."

"I think retirement is overblown. How many days can you go fishing? How many rounds of golf can you play?" Ross said. "I had the idea when I left WWE after 21 years, I'm going to reinvent myself. I'm not going to become a trivia answer. ... I don't think you're going to read anywhere, anytime soon, that Jim Ross has finally retired — until you read my eulogy."

Listen to the audio for the full hour-long interview with Jim Ross, talking his career past, present and future — along with the origins of his signature barbecue sauce.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Brock Lesnar after losing his championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 31.; Credit: WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment held their annual Wrestlemania show last weekend in Northern California, the culmination of another year's worth of spectacle. According to the company, it was their highest grossing event of all-time, drawing $12.6 million, with an official attendance placing it fifth on their list of all-time crowds for the event. The show was headlined by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar going up against up-and-coming star (and a relative of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) Roman Reigns.

WWE Network

It comes at a time when the company has embarked on a new way of making money: their over-the-top online programming provider, the WWE Network, where fans can pay $9.99 a month to see programming including what formerly used to cost $45 for most shows and $60 for Wrestlemania. They're one year in now on gambling that enough fans will want the Network that it will ultimately make them more money in the long-term, despite losing that pay-per-view revenue. Wall Street doesn't appear to be buying it — after announcing the day after Wrestlemania that they'd hit 1.3 million subscribers, WWE's stock took a significant loss.

"The point is not whether it's real or if it's staged. The point is, are you entertained by it, or not?" former WWE announcer Jim Ross told KPCC in an interview. WWE is looking for more fans to be entertained enough to plunk down $9.99 for all the pro wrestling content they want.

NXT

They're also in a transitional period with their audiences. They've launched a new show that's only on the Network called "NXT," turning their minor league into a program targeting hardcore pro wrestling fans with a different style of show than the more family-targeted "Raw" and "Smackdown." It's also where they groom potential future stars, many of whom seem to break the mold of some of the traditional stars on WWE's main roster.

They're signing up talent that's been getting buzz on the independent circuits, trying to create their own underground movement that hopefully spells money, and taking the NXT brand on tour for the first time. On the Raw after Wrestlemania, several NXT stars made their debut on the main roster. That follows a sell-out crowd (albeit at a smaller 5,000 seat venue) on the Friday night before Wrestlemania for a non-televised NXT show.

Give Divas a chance

WWE also faces cultural forces pushing them in new directions, including a difference in how society deals with gender. When WWE executive Stephanie McMahon, daughter of the famed Vince McMahon, tweeted in support of Patricia Arquette's speech calling for greater equality for women at the Academy Awards, one of their own wrestlers, AJ Lee, responded by publicly calling Stephanie McMahon out on Twitter for not promoting the women in her own company equally and paying them less than the male stars.

AJ tweet 1

AJ tweet 2

Of course, the women in the company aren't given the same prominence as the men in part because it's felt that they won't make the company as much money. Still, it forced WWE's hand and Stephanie McMahon and the company as a whole publicly embraced the idea of giving the women (who WWE brands as "divas") a chance with the Give Divas A Chance movement (and accompanying trending hashtag).

What's next

The women have been promoted nearly equal to the men in that underground NXT league, but only time will tell if it continues to trickle upward. Wrestlemania didn't seem to show huge promise of that happening, with the one women's match of the show only getting a few minutes in the ring. However, the show also included a high-profile storyline with UFC female fighter and champion Ronda Rousey alongside the Rock, going up against Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, so there appears to be the room for women in prominent positions when they have the right storyline.

Whether WWE is able to wade through these forces of change to make more money — and perhaps regain some of the cultural currency that they've lost since becoming a monopoly and purchasing their top competition in 2001 — remains to be seen. They've stayed relatively steady despite a challenge from UFC, which many see as being what pro wrestling would be like if WWE didn't present fictional  They'll have to hope that giving new stars, including "divas," a chance will take them to another level.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

When "Offramp" host John Rabe's father, Bill, created the list at Lake Superior State University in Michigan he likely didn't know it would thrive nearly 40 years later.  As language evolves there should never be a shortage of words and phrases we want to "kick to the curb."

This morning on "AirTalk," I asked listeners to pick the ones they "hate on."  We got some good ones, including my overused "unpack," as in "let's unpack that idea."  Falling into word patterns can happen so subtly that we don't even know it until someone points it out.

My nomination for the list -- "it is what it is."   What are yours?

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

"Sailor Moon" cosplayers at Anime Revloution 2014 in Vancouver, Canada.; Credit: GoToVan/Flickr Creative Commons

Japanese animation — anime — offers very different visions from its American counterparts, and it's extremely popular with college and high school students. They can be extremely difficult for well-meaning parents, uncles and aunts to shop for, so here, in no particular order, are some titles that can transform an adult’s image from clueless doofus to knowing friend. Plus, we have a few suggestions for younger children (who can also be a pain to shop for).

Cardcaptor Sakura: Complete Collection
NIS America: $249.99; 9 discs, Blu-ray, plus book
When cheerful fourth-grader Sakura Kinamoto opens an odd book in her father's study, strange lights fly out. Kerberos, who looks like a plushie of the lion on the book's cover, explains that she's inadvertently released a deck of magical cards. Despite her protests that’s she just an ordinary little girl, Kero insists Sakura must become a Cardcaptor and retrieve them before they work mischief on the world. Many American series talk about empowering girls — in this one, the viewer sees Sakura grow stronger and more confident as she learns to master the magical cards.

Cowboy Bebop: The Complete Series
Funimation: $59.98; Blu-ray, 4 discs
The sci-fi action series "Cowboy Bebop" redefined cool in animation when it debuted in 1998. Twenty-first-century bounty hunter Spike Spiegel is an anti-hero in the tradition of '40s film noir detectives. Spike is a tough guy; a crack shot, an ace pilot and a skilled martial artist. But his cynical exterior conceals a never-healed wound left by the woman he loved and lost. Seventeen years later, "Cowboy Bebop" is so popular that two special editions of the series for holiday gifting have already sold out (!). But it’s available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods
Funimation: $34.98; DVD/Blu-ray combo pack; 3 discs
The first new "Dragon Ball Z" animation in 17 years, "Battle of the Gods" (2013) proved how popular the franchise still is, selling over 1 million tickets in just six days in Japan. The filmmakers keep the animation flat, limited and hand-drawn, so "Battle of the Gods" looks like the classic TV series and delivers the mixture of slapstick, friendship and over-the-top battles Dragon Ball fans remember and want to see again — especially guys in their 20s who grew up watching it.

Naruto Shippuden: Road to Ninja: The Movie 6
VIZ: $29.99 DVD/Blu-ray combo; 2 discs
The title hero of the long-running "Naruto" and "Naruto Shippuden" series is a come-from-behind hero whose world centers on magical ninja techniques, outrageous fights, slapstick, friendship and ramen. "The Road to Ninja" incorporates these well-loved elements, but stresses the lonely, compelling side of the title character. Audiences would quickly weary of Naruto if he were just a knuckleheaded prankster. His dedication to overcoming his weaknesses and achieving his goals makes him heroic, as well as comic — and one of the most popular animated characters of the new millennium.

(A scene from "Ranma 1/2," an anime series about a 16-year-old boy who's transformed into a girl whenever he's splashed with water.)

Ranma 1/2: Sets 1, 2, 3 & 4
VIZ: $54.97 each, Blu-ray; $44.82, DVD: 3 discs
Because he once fell into a cursed spring, black-haired high school martial artist Ranma Saotome turns into a buxom, red-haired girl when he’s hit with cold water. (Hot water restores his proper gender.) Ranma and his father Genma are freeloaders in the home of Suon Tendo. To ensure the continuation of the family dojo, the fathers have decided that the loutish Ranma and Suon’s hot-tempered daughter Akane are engaged. "Ranma 1/2"  supplies the slapstick insanity animation can provide in abundance. The filmmakers carefully sneak in just enough grudging affection between Ranma and Akane to keep the series from feeling mean-spirited.

Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1): Complete Collection
VIZ: $54.98  9 discs          
"Pokémon" is no longer the trend du jour it was 20 years ago, when it swept America. But the games and the animated series remain popular. Although it's product-based and sometimes cloying, "Pokémon" is an agreeable show for elementary school children that stresses friendship, perseverance, fair play and good sportsmanship. These early adventures take the main characters through the first part of the game in its original Red/Blue versions. With his friends Misty and Brock, aspiring master Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum defeats other trainers, captures wild Pokémon and outwits the inept comic villains of Team Rocket.

Princess Nine Complete Series
Bayview Entertainment: $39.99 DVD
Ryo Hayakawa inherited her late father’s talent as a pitcher, but she works as a waitress in her mother’s tiny cafe. Determined to overcome sexist opposition and create a girls’ baseball team that can compete in the national championships, Ms. Himuro, the head of prestigious Kisaragi High, gives Ryo a scholarship. She must recruit players and build an effective team. Ryo is a very likable character — she’s proud of her abilities, but surprised at where they take her. "Princess Nine" ranks among the better girls’ series of recent years, with characters who are strong, capable individuals but who exhibit human weaknesses.

Short Peace
Sentai Filmworks: $29.98 Blu-ray
For "Short Peace," Katsuhiro Otomo ("Akira") and three other directors made short films in personal styles they felt suited the stories they’d chosen, two of them evoking the look of 19th century woodblock prints. In Shuhei Morita’s Oscar-nominated "Possessions," a wandering tinkerer seeks refuge from a storm in a remote forest shrine. Inside, he  must pacify umbrellas, bowls and other household objects that resent being thrown away after years of devoted service. Otomo’s "Combustible" focuses on childhood sweethearts Owaka and Matsukichi, the son and daughter of wealthy merchants in 18th century Edo (Tokyo). The climactic blaze that brings the star-crossed lovers together — only to separate them forever — is stunningly beautiful.

(Oscar-winning Japanese animator and film director Hayao Miyazaki walks past an advertisement following the release of his film "Ponyo.")

No figure in contemporary animation is more admired than Hayao Miyazaki. Walt Disney Home Entertainment has just released to DVD/Blu-ray 2-disc sets of three of his major films at $26.95 each:

Kiki's Delivery Service
A charming coming-of-age story, "Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989) follows the very human ups and downs of an adolescent witch who must leave her family for a new city where she’ll discover her special talent. Kiki copes believably with tight budgets, self-doubt and the awkward attentions of a flight-obsessed boy. The late comedian Phil Hartman gave his final performance as Gigi, the sardonic black cat who provides a running commentary on Kiki's misadventures.

Princess Mononoke
The ecologically-themed "Princess Mononoke" (1999) was the first of Miyazaki’s features to receive a major theatrical release in the U.S. The problems posed by rampant development and consumerism figure prominently in the film. “If you want to discuss any aspect of the problems we face as humans, you cannot ignore ecology,'' he said. Miyazaki juxtaposes visually and emotionally intense scenes of the characters, with quiet images of clouds, streams and forests. When rain begins to fall, he lingers on a stone that darkens as it absorbs moisture.

(A screenshot from Japanese director and animator Hayao Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke.")

The Wind Rises
In "The Wind Rises" (2013), Miyazaki carries the viewer through rapturously beautiful fantasies, hard-won pleasures and poignant sorrows in this biopic of Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the A6M Zero Fighter for Mitsubishi during World War II. "The Wind Rises" isn’t focused on speed — Miyazaki concentrates on the magic of flight. Instead of launching the viewers on a CG rollercoaster ride, he enables them to savor the magic of escaping gravity in a way that approaches visual poetry. "The Wind Rises" may be Miyazaki’s last feature, but the director is still clearly at the height of his powers; although premature, it’s a glorious exit.

Death Note: The Complete Series

Light Yagami, the hero of the dark fantasy-adventure "Death Note" (2006) is brilliant, alienated— and murderous. He found the Death Note: the notebook of a Shinigami (god of death). If anyone writes the name of a human in the book, that person dies within minutes. Light launches a vigilante campaign to rid the world of criminals and create his vision of a perfect society. But the unexplained string of deaths attracts the attention of the police, who turn the case over to the secretive master crime solver known only as L. Although it begins slowly, "Death Note" gets better with each installment, as the stakes grow higher in the macabre duel of wits between Light and L.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Albert Rad, a mobile phone wholesaler who fled religious persecution in Iran decades ago, said that he fully backs President Trump's decision to assassinate Iran's top military commander. ; Credit: Josie Huang/LAist

Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran. The killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani is generating some strong emotions here. KPPC’s Josie Huang reports from Persian Square in Westwood. 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Cleaning and sanitizing time is greatly reduced with the patent pending removable retaining walls on DynaClean Food Processing Conveyors from Dynamic Conveyor

Campbell Soup Co. plans to reorganize its businesses into three divisions, each headed by a president. In addition, Irene Chang Britt, president–Pepperidge Farm and senior vice president–Global Baking and Snacking, will leave the company.

G.H. Cretors has launched a 70-calorie bag of its two organic flavors, Extra Olive Oil and Simply Salted.

The auto repair shop, Express Oil Change & Service Center, talks about the options the Atlanta Braves have for choosing a new left fielder. Express Oil Change and Service Center is a proud partner of the Atlanta Braves.

Atlantic Tire & Service, a locally owned and operated automotive care and repair center with shops in Cary, Raleigh and Durham, NC., was recognized by readers of Cary Magazine as the "Best Mechanic" in Western Wake County.

Express Oil Change thinks the rumors of Michael Bourn's return to the Atlanta Braves are highly exaggerated.

The Atlanta auto repair company, Express Oil, knows that changing your oil every 3,000 miles is a great way to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Synthetic blends can last longer, but most oil filters are not designed to withstand longer intervals.

Watsonville's AAA-Certified Auto Repair Center Serving the Community with Excellence

Hartwig Mechanical service extends to Northern Illinois, the North Side of Chicago and Southern Wisconsin.

Global technology supplier Finmeccanica – Selex ES will establish its Australian Naval Communications headquarters in Melbourne, creating 80 manufacturing jobs by 2019. Finmeccanica - Selex ES works across the international defence, security, aerospace, naval and transport sectors.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 5:30pm
Location: Central Campus Classroom Building
Organized By: Organizational Studies Program (OS)

OS is an interdisciplinary major based in the social sciences where students customize their own education. Enjoy a small community of dedicated and ambitious students with access to top-notch faculty and an engaged alumni network.

At Info Night, you'll hear from the Program Director, Major Advisor, Current OS students, and OS alumni. Topics covered include curriculum, admissions, and career/graduate study options.

Register now: https://myumi.ch/M65gx

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 4:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Have you ever been interested in being a part of a Fortune 100 retailer supporting the heart of the business? If so, The TJX Companies, Inc., the parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, HomeSense, and Sierra are looking for enthusiastic and committed individuals from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences to join our Merchandising team as we believe it is important thatour workforce reflect the diversity of our customers and the communities we serve. Merchandising is the heart of our business. Our Buying and Planning & Allocation teams work together to drive sales and profit for TJX. They create the “WOW” you find in our stores!Ifyou have an entrepreneurial spirit and are passionate about blending youranalytical and creative mindset to drive a business, we are currently recruiting Sophomores and Juniors for our Merchandising Internship Program for Summer 2025.Please see below to review our opportunity. Should you choose to apply, we will be reviewing your resume and be in touch with any next steps.CLICK HERE TO APPLY TODAY! 

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 3:00pm
Location: Medical Science Unit II
Organized By: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Mentor: Kristen Verhey

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 2:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

We are excited to inform you that we will be hosting a Sanitation Facilities Construction Virtual Career Fair Event, on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 2:00 pm (ET) - 3:00 pm (ET). This presents a great opportunity for us to engage with talented candidates who are eager to learn more about our organization and potential careeropportunities. Thank you and we look forward to meeting with you! Thank you. SFC Hiring Team

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:20pm
Location: Lurie Ann & Robert H. Tower
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance

Adam Lenhart performs a 30 minute recital on the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Carillon, an instrument of 60 bells with the lowest bell (bourdon) weighing 6 tons. The program celebrates the life, legacy & music of Selena Quintanilla Pérez (1971-1995) as part of Lenhart's American Women Concert Series.

Thirty-minute recitals are performed on the Lurie Carillon every weekday that classes are in session. During these recitals, visitors may take the elevator to level 2 to view the largest bells, or to level 3 to see the carillonist performing. (Visitors subject to acrophobia are recommended to visit level 2 only.) An optional spiral stairway between levels 2 and 3 allows for up-close views of some of the largest bells.

Meyer’s Zephyr duct cleaning vacuum features a 31-hp engine, which powers both its custom-engineered fan and KleanSweeper compressor to help eliminate potential problems and maintenance on a second engine, while saving weight and space.

TASHKENT, 24 August 2015 – A two-day Regional Conference “On increasing potential of horticultural trade” jointly organised by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, USAID, Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture and the Farmers’ Council of Uzbekistan, started today in Tashkent.

Representatives from the agricultural sector from a number of Central Asian countries will be able to acquaint themselves with technical standards and regulations in major export markets. This will include experts and regulators from states member of the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union discussing norms regarding horticultural imports.

“This is an opportunity for representatives of the agricultural sector from all corners of Uzbekistan, and Central Asia, to get the information they need to be able to export to the most relevant markets,” said Nataša Rašić, PCU Senior Project Officer.

During the conference, the participants will learn about best practices regarding various developments relevant to the production and export of horticultural products such as Public Private Partnerships or Organic Agriculture.

The event was designed to bring together producers and importers from various countries of the region. While the sector plays a significant role in Central Asian economies, intra-regional trade in agriculture products remains limited. The participants will be able to establish business relationships with producers and importers from neighbouring countries.

“This is an opportunity for all to meet, interact, exchange, and build relationships that will form the basis for the enduring business ties of tomorrow,” said Rašić.

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KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 13 July 2016 – A two-day workshop for civil society and police officers on improving the local referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence victims concluded today in Khujand.

The workshop brought together some 23 representatives of crisis centres, the police, state services for social protection and the Committee of Women and Family Affairs from the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

Participants exchanged good practices on inter-agency co-operation to assist victims of violence in the region, discuss current challenges and ways to improve the current mechanism of the multi-disciplinary approach.

“This is an opportunity for the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres from the regions to share the experiences and plans for further activities on strengthening women’s rights in the region,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer.

Within separate sessions, participants from the crisis centres shared experiences related to the rehabilitation and protection of domestic violence victims, and police inspectors discussed the provisions of the updated Instructions on dealing with domestic violence cases. Police officers also received copies of the new Manual on Countering Domestic Violence, published by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“We learned from similar meetings organized earlier in Khatlon region that such discussions, including on concrete cases, contribute to a better co-ordinated and victim-centered, multi-agency approach in protecting domestic victims at the local level, and it harmoniously compliments the Ministry’s plans on gender mainstreaming into police reform,” said Ali Bobonazarzoda, National Co-ordinator on Police Reform under the country’s Interior Ministry.

The event is part of the annual activities of the Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Unit aimed at strengthening the current local protection mechanisms for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  

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• OSCE Office in Tajikistan support Garm’s local authorities in strengthening referral mechanisms for protecting domestic violence victims
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The OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 24 July 2016 organized the first regional forum for promoting women’s political participation in Khujand, with the aim of increasing community outreach, engaging women leaders in the region and supporting women’s empowerment in political and public life.

The forum brought together 40 experts from political parties, local authorities, international organizations and civil society members, and is designed as a platform for dialogue between women politicians and communities. They will work to motivate young girls who aspire to become leaders or hold decision-making positions in public life, and aim to gain support from communities and local authorities for the advancement of women in political life.

“Our project aims to build strong support for women leaders, to tackle gender stereotypes, to surface and articulate the aspirations, choices and skills of women and girls of Tajikistan, so that they can realize their full potential in public and political life,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Head of the Democratization Unit at the OSCE Office. 

Shanjeev Thiruchelvam, OSCE Field Officer in Khujand, said: “Both male and female community leaders, politicians and civil society representatives have expressed keen interest in the continued work of the Sughd Women's Forum, which recognizes, and aims to provide opportunities to develop female leadership in Sughd public life.”

Similar forums are to be organized across the country. 

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GARM, Tajikistan, 28 July 2016 – Some 20 representatives of civil society and state agencies working to provide direct assistance to domestic violence victims learned about good practices on local referral mechanisms in other regions of Tajikistan at a workshop held today in Garm by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The representatives of crisis centres, the local police department, state services for social protection and medical care, the local Ombudsman’s Office, and religious leaders enhanced their knowledge of the multi-agency Working Group and how inter-agency co-operation can further assist victims of violence. They also discussed the current challenges and ways to improve the local mechanism through the use of a victim-centered approach.

“It is encouraging to see multidisciplinary approaches being applied by governmental and non-governmental partners in other regions of the country,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer. “OSCE-supported Women Resource Centres in the regions also play an important role, supplementing the efforts of local government in providing direct assistance services to domestic violence victims.”

The event was part of the OSCE support offered to the Interior Ministry in gender mainstreaming in police reform, and was aimed at institutionalizing informal mechanisms for the referral and assistance of domestic violence victims at the local level.

The OSCE Office supported similar initiatives on multi-agency working groups in the Kulyab and Djaihun regions at the end of last year and beginning of this year. 

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DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Twenty-four mid-rank officers from the Tajik Border Troops, the State Committee on National Security and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs today completed a week-long OSCE workshop in Dushanbe on verifying the authenticity of security documents.

The workshop examined how documents are falsified, how passport booklets are constructed and produced, the processes behind producing paper for such documents, security features as well as the methods for verifying passports. Participants also improved their knowledge of technical devices and modern methods for verifying document authenticity, the types of light sources used during the verification, and in working with documents with plastic pages.

The workshop was delivered by two experts from Belarus. 

“The Office in Tajikistan continues supporting the capacity building of Tajik border and security agencies, including in the areas of contemporary approaches to identifying forged travel documents and in inter-agency co-ordination and co-operation in this area,” said Vyacheslav Abramets, Border Management Adviser at the OSCE Office. “The workshop was organized as part of this year’s activities by the OSCE Office and within the framework of the successful implementation of the Tajik National Border Management Strategy.”

The workshop follows the June 2016 handover by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan of a video-spectral comparator with informational-reference system, a spectral fluorescent microscope, compact devices for express authenticity verification, a spectral luminescent magnifier and a desktop computer set, to the Border Troops. The equipment was installed at the border checkpoint in the newly-constructed terminal of Dushanbe International Airport to enable the advanced authenticity verification of passports.

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Possible roles for the OSCE in the context of the migration and refugee flows across the OSCE area were discussed today at a special meeting of the Permanent Council in Vienna.

The meeting was a milestone in the process launched in March 2016 by Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship. In a series of seven meetings and following an inclusive approach, an Informal Working Group took stock of the migration-related activities of the OSCE and developed proposals for future engagement. The Working Groups was chaired by Swiss Ambassador to the OSCE Claude Wild and open to all participating States, Partners for-Cooperation and OSCE executive structures as well as a number of international organizations and NGOs.

Presenting results of this ambitious preparatory process Wild said in today’s Permanent Council: “While the current situation is generally referred to as ‘the refugee and migration crisis’, it is in fact a crisis of international migration governance. Comprehensive governance is needed to deal responsibly with the phenomenon of migration and refugee flows. This includes addressing issues of protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration as well as solidarity and partnerships.”

Wild highlighted that the OSCE is uniquely positioned and equipped to use its political convening power and technical expertise to create formal and informal networks. “In such networks national experts and decision makers can exchange best practices in all specific issues that have to be addressed to design and implement responsible national policies on migration and refugee flows,” he said.

Chairperson of the Permanent Council and German Ambassador to the OSCE, Eberhard Pohl, thanked the Swiss OSCE Ambassador and his team for their committed work. “There was a clear common understanding among all OSCE States today that migration and refugee flows figure high on the OSCE agenda in line with its comprehensive approach to security,” Pohl said.

“Given the scale and transnational character of this issue, it is clear that no single country can cope with the challenge of current migration and refugee flows alone. It has to be addressed in a co-operative manner, in a spirit of shared responsibility. We will continue to support OSCE activities in this field and work to further develop the contribution of the OSCE.”

The OSCE Permanent Council is one of the main regular decision-making bodies of the Organization bringing together representatives of all 57 OSCE participating States and the 11 Partners for Co-operation.

Holocaust education and remembrance are the main topics of a five-day study visit of Azerbaijani officials to the Netherlands, organized by OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku, in co-operation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, which will take place from 15 to 20 December 2014.

The Azerbaijani delegation consists of eight representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.

Thedelegation will meet representatives of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, the Institute for Curriculum Development and HAN University of Applied Science - College of Education for Secondary School Teachers. They will also visit the Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dutch Holocaust Memorial.

The main topics of discussions will include a review of the Dutch government policy regarding primary and secondary education and Holocaust education, as well as experience on improving skills of secondary school teachers in this field. Azerbaijani and Dutch experts will also exchange views on current practices regarding Holocaust remembrance activities.

This visit is part of a wider project agreed between the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku and the Azerbaijani government aimed at strengthening tolerance and non-discrimination in Azerbaijan. As a first component of this project, an international conference on “Strengthening religious tolerance -Azerbaijan’s model, challenges in the OSCE area and beyond” took place in Baku on 17-18 November 2014. The PCiB will organize other events under this project during 2015. 

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The OSCE Presence in Albania on 24 March 2016 launched a series of workshops for the Albanian border and migration police with the aim of raising their capacity to respond to the challenges of irregular migration, particularly in light of the increased migrant flows through the Western Balkans.

The first of the workshops, which are being organized in close partnership with the Directorate of the Albanian State Police and the General Directorate of Border and Migration, took place in Korça, where 20 border and migration police were trained on measures to be taken to cope with the situation.

The subjects were based on trends as identified by Frontex and EUROPOL, and included migrant routes, the pre-screening of migrants, profiling of possible terrorist fighters, and the detection of criminal offences. The workshop was conducted by experts from the Albanian Europol National Unit and the Albanian Border and Migration Police.

The OSCE Presence, together with its Albanian partners, will organize similar workshops in the coming days with the border and migration police in Gjirokastra and in Shkodra. 

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A group of eight women politicians from all registered political parties in Tajikistan, including a member of parliament, paid a visit to Albania from 2 to 8 April 2016 to strengthen inter-regional co-operation and share experiences on empowering women in political life. The visit was jointly organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan and the OSCE Presence in Albania.

"One of the main goals of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan is to promote gender equality and to further support Tajik women leaders, as well as to create new opportunities for learning, exchange of experience and networking for women at all levels of political and public life,” said  Markus Mueller, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan “This jointly organized high-level working visit will help women politicians and parliamentarians from both countries to learn from each other’s experiences, to grow stronger and reach their full potential."

The delegation met with the Speaker of Albania’s Assembly, representatives of the Alliance of Women Members of Parliament, three women members of the Albanian government, the Chair of the Central Election Commission, women mayors of Roskovec and Patos, and members of the National Platform of Women – an informal voluntary network of around 500 women from political parties and civil society established by the OSCE Presence.

On 6 April, they participated in the launch of the second edition of the “Empowering women in politics” brochure – a collection of interviews with successful women politicians in Albania published by the Presence.

Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania,  Florian Raunig, said: "In the OSCE we believe passionately in the importance of women's participation in political and public life, and we will continue to work at all levels - from national legislation to grass root activism - to promote it. I would encourage women politicians to co-operate and compromise across party lines."

This is the second time the OSCE field operations in Tajikistan and Albania co-operate on supporting women’s advancement in the political life in Tajikistan. In December 2015, the Office in co-ordination with the Presence organized a roundtable in Dushanbe aimed at empowering Tajik women politicians. 

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TIRANA, 9 May 2016 - The OSCE Presence in Albania today launched a sports-based youth development programme in co-operation with Tirana Rugby Club, with the aim of promoting teamwork, sport ethics, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging among youth, helping them understand that there are always positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour and criminality.

The Presence’s youth development programme will build on the Tirana Rugby Club’s success, helping to increase participation of youth in rugby and promoting both the cross-community and cross-border aspects of sport, bringing together young people from across Albania and the region for training events and tournaments.

Currently there are very few opportunities for youth to take part in interactive activities such as sports outside schools. Tirana Rugby Club, on the other hand, has engaged with youth, including the most vulnerable such as unemployed and/or school dropouts in its activities. Despite funding challenges, the Club has supported events where teams from Albania and the region compete regularly.

“While the development of rugby as a sport in Albania is relatively new, the interest and commitment of so many in such a short period of time, is not,” said Head of the OSCE Presence Florian Raunig. “As a result, building one team has led to creating a second one. Therefore today we present both Tirana Rugby Club and the Ilirians Rugby Club, wearing their new club colours.”

The sports kits were provided by the OSCE Presence and will be on show over the next few months, as these two teams meet in Korça, Elbasan and Durrës to play a series of exhibition games, which will increase the visibility of and interest in the sport.

The Presence will support local authorities, including police, social services and the regional education directorate, to directly involve youth in the activities. The activities will be planned and co-ordinated to allow young women and girls to be equally involved.

Albanian Rugby Development Officer Adam Vernon said: “We thank the OSCE Presence for its support and are excited about the opportunity this initiative has afforded us. We have many positive examples of youth engagement outcomes in Albania and hope that we can further encourage the development of the sport in many local communities over the next few months. The future of the sport in Albania is bright. We will wear our new kit with pride, in support of the game we all love.”

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TIRANA, 13 May 2016 – Challenges, good practices and needs in the fight against trafficking in human beings were the focus of a regional meeting of National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from South-Eastern Europe hosted on Thursday by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator, together with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from across South-Eastern Europe as well as the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, met in Tirana to exchange views and good practices on national efforts to fight human trafficking. They paid special attention to the problem of unaccompanied minors in this region, with a view to increasing regional co-operation on the identification, assistance and referral of child victims and potential victims of trafficking.

“We must further enhance international co-ordination in addressing human trafficking, especially child trafficking,” stated Florian Raunig, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “The migration flows that have affected most of the countries represented in this meeting today show the urgency of our efforts. The transnational nature of the trafficking phenomenon can only be effectively addressed in a co-ordinated manner, based on joint planning and joint action.”

Participants stressed the need for harmonizing definitions, procedures and protocols to ensure adequate identification and protection of unaccompanied minors, highlighting the importance of adapting these procedures to potential migration flows. Strengthening the role of legal guardians and improving an early warning system that allows front-line officers to identify complex forms of human trafficking and labour exploitation, were other suggestions made by the Co-ordinators.

The Presence continues to work closely with the Albanian authorities to strengthen the multi-agency approach to identify and protect victims of all forms of trafficking.

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ELBASAN, Albania, 17 May 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, with support from the German government, yesterday in Elbasan hosted a performance of a play reflecting on Albania’s totalitarian past.

The play, “They enter without knocking”, centres on a couple waiting for the police to come to their door to take them to prison - or worse - for reasons unknown. A packed audience of around 300 people watched the performance, which evoked the atmosphere of fear and constant surveillance that reigned under the former totalitarian regime.

“Although it is never easy to talk about a painful past, society needs to engage in a conversation about the crimes of the past, and art is one way of stimulating such dialogue, because it speaks to us on so many levels,” said Ambassador Florian Raunig, Head of the OSCE Presence. “This should be entirely an Albanian process; we are only providing the framework for this dialogue to take place.”

The OSCE Presence and the German Embassy launched the project to foster a national dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past a year ago. Under the “We start talking” motto, the Presence has so far facilitated discussions among high school students, a series of TV debates hosted by the public broadcaster and a nationwide survey about the public's knowledge, perceptions and expectations for dialogue regarding the totalitarian past in Albania.

“They enter without knocking” was previously staged in Shkodra, as part of the project, and will be performed another three times in different cities around Albania over the course of this year.  

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SHKODRA, Albania, 25 May 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, USAID and the Austrian Development Co-operation launched a new phase of the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative today in Shkodra, Albania, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of court proceedings by reducing unnecessary hold ups.

Judges and support staff, with guidance from the Presence, USAID and local partners, will analyse the root causes for delays in their court and commit to improved planning and administration of cases by strengthening co-operation with trial participants, including state institutions. This will give the courts the benefit of active case management techniques and provide citizens with better access to justice.

“The courts have made remarkable progress in reducing the number of hearings and the overall length of trial proceedings, with no changes to legislation and no additional budgetary resources,” emphasized Florian Raunig, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “This achievement not only benefited court users in those districts, but has become an important step toward improving the quality of justice throughout Albania. It shows the clear potential for all Albanians to have efficient justice in all first instance courts throughout the country.”

Ambassador Johann Sattler of Austria stated that, “the nationwide roll-out of the ‘Justice without delays’ project ultimately aims to increase citizen’s trust in the judiciary.”

The initiative is implemented by the OSCE Presence and USAID’s Project Justice for All, with funding from the Austrian Development Co-operation. It was developed by the Presence and USAID after a study conducted by the Presence showed that almost half of the sessions in Albanian courts were non-productive – no argument was put forward, no documents circulated, no evidence taken and no requests made.

‘Justice without delays’ first started as a pilot project in Kruja court in February 2014, and was quickly embraced by courts in Korça, Puka and Tropoja. Building on the programme’s success in these four initial courts, and with the strong support of the High Council of Justice and the Ministry of Justice, over the next three years the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative will be extended successively to all 18 district courts in Albania.

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An exhibition of paintings, photographs, installations, poetry and writing by students of the Petro Nini Luarasi High School in Tirana on the theme of domestic violence, was unveiled by the students and the OSCE Presence in Albania on 24 May 2016 in the capital.

The exhibition, held under the slogan #MosHesht (Don’t be silent), builds on a campaign against domestic violence first launched by the OSCE Presence in Tirana four years ago, and extended to other cities such as Korça, Elbasan and Gjirokastra, to bring together the  police, civil society, citizens and youth, to discuss and react to this phenomenon.

A higher number of domestic violence cases has been reported to the police since the start of the campaign, indicating increased public awareness of the problem and trust in the authorities. According to statistics, on average 15 women die every year as a result of domestic violence; domestic violence accounts for about 60% of the reported crimes against persons in Albania.

“Civic engagement is more than just identifying issues of public concern. It is about citizens working to address them in a constructive manner. It is about action,” said Deputy Head of the OSCE Presence Robert Wilton at the launch of the exhibition. “You took on the slogan of the campaign #MosHesht. You reacted through your paintings, pictures and poetry and sent a strong message to your fellow students, to us and to the society. This is a brilliant example of the kind of citizen engagement needed for a democracy to thrive.”

General Director of the Albanian State Police, Haki Çako, commended the students saying that through the exhibition they help raise the awareness of the problems that domestic violence victims face. He said that trust in the police is an important part of the overall solution.

The event is as part of the OSCE Presence in Albania’s ongoing campaign on countering domestic violence. The Presence has also extensively worked in raising the capacities of the Albanian State Police on addressing this problem through various training programmes.

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OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Tirana on 14 June 2016, where he expressed the OSCE’s commitment to a long-term partnership and support for Albania’s institutions and its citizens.

“The Presence is doing good work and has our full support,” said Steinmeier. He also thanked the Presence for the good co-operation with the Albanian authorities.

Steinmeier met the Acting Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Robert Wilton.

Wilton thanked Steinmeier for the German OSCE Chairmanship’s leadership in regional co-operation, dialogue, youth and tackling transnational threats. “There is still essential OSCE work to be done together with our partners in Albania to achieve our common vision for collective security, fully-functioning democracy and the respect for fundamental human rights. The OSCE Presence and Albania are moving forwards together.”

During his visit Steinmeier met Prime Minister Edi Rama, Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati, and opposition Democratic Party Chair Lulzim Basha. He also had a meeting with students of the Tirana University.

The OSCE Presence works very closely with partner institutions in Albania, to support activities in a variety of areas including border management, more efficient courtrooms, modern and internationally-compatible policing, and a stronger relationship between active citizens and their democratic institutions.

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The OSCE Presence in Albania held a ceremony on 22 June 2016 to award winners of a national essay competition for high school and university students called Young People Say NO to Corruption.

The three main winners, equally awarded, were Albion Bylykbashi from the Tirana Polytechnic University, as well as Arjeta Zenelaj and Keti Gjipali from Tirana University. Their essays have been chosen as the best among more than 100 entries and their prize is an opportunity to participate in Transparency International’s Summer School on Corruption in July 2016. Seven runners-up were also awarded and will take part in a study tour to visit institutions involved in the fight against corruption in Albania and experience first-hand their work and the way they co-operate with each other to fight corruption.

Attending the event were Acting Head of OSCE Presence in Albania, Robert Wilton, and National Anticorruption Co-ordinator, Minister for Local Government Issues Bledi Çuçi.

Wilton said that the Albanian authorities cannot win the fight against corruption on their own: “They need the energy and passion of young, dedicated people to make big changes in mentality and practice that are necessary to stamp out corruption.”

Çuçi said that in order to win the battle against corruption, the healthy parts of the society should find each other and heal the parts affected by corruption. He said, he was impressed by the level of discussions in a series of OSCE-organized awareness-raising lectures on anti-corruption in high schools and public universities across the country that preceded the essay competition.

The essay competition and anti-corruption lectures were part of a wider OSCE project supporting anti-corruption measures in Albania. This effort is funded by the Italian Development Cooperation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Italian National School of Public Administration.

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TIRANA, 22 July 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes the Assembly’s adoption today of the set of constitutional amendments aimed at reforming the justice sector. We commend the Assembly for this fundamental achievement, which was supported tangibly by many international experts and diplomats.

It is an important milestone, paving the way for the implementation of a meaningful justice reform. The amendments adopted today must now be cascaded down through the primary and secondary legislation, the procedures and policies of the entire judicial system. Reform is not genuine until it is felt by Albanian citizens in their daily lives, across the country.

The manner in which the reform package is implemented is essential for the sustainability and the success of the reform process. Sustainability and success also depend on a change in attitudes: establishing a culture of responsibility and accountability, countering impunity and consolidating respect for the rule of law at all levels of society. 

The OSCE Presence has been a committed contributor and partner of the reform process so far and stands ready to continue its active support at all levels.

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KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 13 July 2016 – A two-day workshop for civil society and police officers on improving the local referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence victims concluded today in Khujand.

The workshop brought together some 23 representatives of crisis centres, the police, state services for social protection and the Committee of Women and Family Affairs from the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

Participants exchanged good practices on inter-agency co-operation to assist victims of violence in the region, discuss current challenges and ways to improve the current mechanism of the multi-disciplinary approach.

“This is an opportunity for the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres from the regions to share the experiences and plans for further activities on strengthening women’s rights in the region,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer.

Within separate sessions, participants from the crisis centres shared experiences related to the rehabilitation and protection of domestic violence victims, and police inspectors discussed the provisions of the updated Instructions on dealing with domestic violence cases. Police officers also received copies of the new Manual on Countering Domestic Violence, published by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“We learned from similar meetings organized earlier in Khatlon region that such discussions, including on concrete cases, contribute to a better co-ordinated and victim-centered, multi-agency approach in protecting domestic victims at the local level, and it harmoniously compliments the Ministry’s plans on gender mainstreaming into police reform,” said Ali Bobonazarzoda, National Co-ordinator on Police Reform under the country’s Interior Ministry.

The event is part of the annual activities of the Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Unit aimed at strengthening the current local protection mechanisms for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  

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DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Twenty-four mid-rank officers from the Tajik Border Troops, the State Committee on National Security and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs today completed a week-long OSCE workshop in Dushanbe on verifying the authenticity of security documents.

The workshop examined how documents are falsified, how passport booklets are constructed and produced, the processes behind producing paper for such documents, security features as well as the methods for verifying passports. Participants also improved their knowledge of technical devices and modern methods for verifying document authenticity, the types of light sources used during the verification, and in working with documents with plastic pages.

The workshop was delivered by two experts from Belarus. 

“The Office in Tajikistan continues supporting the capacity building of Tajik border and security agencies, including in the areas of contemporary approaches to identifying forged travel documents and in inter-agency co-ordination and co-operation in this area,” said Vyacheslav Abramets, Border Management Adviser at the OSCE Office. “The workshop was organized as part of this year’s activities by the OSCE Office and within the framework of the successful implementation of the Tajik National Border Management Strategy.”

The workshop follows the June 2016 handover by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan of a video-spectral comparator with informational-reference system, a spectral fluorescent microscope, compact devices for express authenticity verification, a spectral luminescent magnifier and a desktop computer set, to the Border Troops. The equipment was installed at the border checkpoint in the newly-constructed terminal of Dushanbe International Airport to enable the advanced authenticity verification of passports.

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The OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 24 July 2016 organized the first regional forum for promoting women’s political participation in Khujand, with the aim of increasing community outreach, engaging women leaders in the region and supporting women’s empowerment in political and public life.

The forum brought together 40 experts from political parties, local authorities, international organizations and civil society members, and is designed as a platform for dialogue between women politicians and communities. They will work to motivate young girls who aspire to become leaders or hold decision-making positions in public life, and aim to gain support from communities and local authorities for the advancement of women in political life.

“Our project aims to build strong support for women leaders, to tackle gender stereotypes, to surface and articulate the aspirations, choices and skills of women and girls of Tajikistan, so that they can realize their full potential in public and political life,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Head of the Democratization Unit at the OSCE Office. 

Shanjeev Thiruchelvam, OSCE Field Officer in Khujand, said: “Both male and female community leaders, politicians and civil society representatives have expressed keen interest in the continued work of the Sughd Women's Forum, which recognizes, and aims to provide opportunities to develop female leadership in Sughd public life.”

Similar forums are to be organized across the country. 

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