Mountainside, a leading holistic addiction treatment center in the Northeast, is in-network with Optum, expanding treatment access to a wider range of people in need.

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

Mid Cities Psychiatry has been awarded The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services by powering through its performance standards.

Kunkel is the president of Wordslinger Marketing & PR, primarily serving the nonprofit community

Web Industries will showcase its nonwoven materials solutions for medical, personal care, and home care markets at Hygienix 2024, held November 18-21 in Nashville. The company will highlight its slitting, spooling, printing, and modular converting capabilities, offering precision converting for flexible packaging, films, and medical-grade materials.

The University of Aberdeen Sport and Recreation department are able to offer all delegates preferential rates for using the Sports facilities for the duration of the conference. [11 July 2008]

The Institutional Repository (IR) had a meteoric rise to fame. In a brief blaze of glory, it was heralded as the facilitator of a free exchange of information within the academic research community - a faster, cheaper and more effective way to conduct scholarly communications in the twenty-first century. Then, just as quickly, fame changed to infamy. The technology, the ownership, and the very ideal of the IR has been called into question by many and varied voices in the wider academic community and beyond. I would like to explore the really controversial aspects of the IR, and ask my audience to consider that perhaps, just perhaps, there was something useful there all along.

Rob Bristow, JISC as Programme Manager for e-Administration gives a plenary talk on Institutional Responses to Emergent Technologies - What JISC is Doing. As users of all sorts become more familiar with new technologies (including both Web 2.0 type software tools and user-owned devices) and become used to, and expectant of, managing their own data through 'self-service' applications and systems, questions are asked of institutions as to how they will respond to these new demands. JISC has been investigating this area through strands within its e-Learning and Users and Innovation programmes which have been focussed in the main on the learners' and users' experience. JISC has recently funded a further series of projects that address the way that institutions are responding to these new challenges, looking at organisational policies, practice and strategies, as well as funding pilot projects that demonstrate actual institutional responses. This work is in its early stages but the scope of the responses to the call for projects and some of the early results of the landscape study will provide some interesting real life information about institutional responses from across the sector. This talk will describe the work that JISC is doing and relate it to the Institutional Web Manager world.

Wilcox Industries’ manufacturing and assembly facility in Victoria will be a joint venture with its Melbourne-based distributor and partner, Aquaterro – a leading supplier of law enforcement and defence equipment in Victoria.

Australia’s manufacturing sector has been given a boost with the opening of Australia’s largest additive manufacturing hub and a new world-class research facility in Melbourne. The new 3D printing additive manufacturing plant produces parts and devices for the mining, defence, bio-medical, construction, aerospace and automotive industries, in a more cost-effective way than traditional methods.

Melbourne has been recognised as the top Major City in Human Capital and Lifestyle, according to the fDi Intelligence Global Cities of The Future 14/15 study. Cities in the study were categorised according to population and, as a Major City, Melbourne was awarded the top position in cities with populations less than 10 million. As winner of the Human Capital and Lifestyle category, Melbourne scored high results in categories such as; literacy rate, education expenditure, health, quality of life, percentage of population as labour force, number of students and numerous other indicators.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 5:30pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Penny W Stamps School of Art & Design

Fernando Laposse specializes in transforming humble natural materials into refined design pieces. He has worked extensively with overlooked plant fibers such as sisal, loofah, and corn leaves. Laposse’s works are the result of extensive research which culminates in objects of “endemic design” where materials and their historical and cultural ties to a particular location and its people take center stage. He often works with indigenous communities in his native Mexico to create local employment opportunities and raise awareness about the challenges they face in a globalized world.
Laposse’s projects are informative and educational and touch on topics such as sustainability, the loss of biodiversity, community dissolution, migration, and the negative impacts of global trade in local agriculture and food culture. He does so by documenting the issues and announcing possible resolutions through the transformative power of design.
Laposse’s projects have been exhibited in the Triennale di Milano, the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, The Design Museum in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the World Economic Forum, among others. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Design Museum Gent, Le centre national des arts plastiques, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Laposse studied at Central Saint Martins in London as a product designer and currently lives and works in Mexico City.
Presented in partnership with Design Core Detroit. This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Radio.

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: East Hall
Organized By: Representation Stability Seminar - Department of Mathematics

Draisma proved that infinite dimensional varieties of tensors, defined uniformly with respect to the base vector space, are topologically Noetherian up to the action of the general linear group.The infinite power Z^N of a finite dimensional variety Z is ring-theoretically Noetherian up to the action of the infinite symmetric group permuting the copies of Z. We show that infinite powers of infinite dimensional varieties of tensors are defined set-theoretically by the Sym x GL-orbits of finitely many equations. This talk will browse these results.
Joint work with Chiu, Draisma, Eggermont, and Farooq.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 4:00pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Engineering Career Resource Center

Are you worried about finding a summer internship? Feeling stressed with everything you have going on?

You are not alone—these concerns are common among students, even this early in the academic year!

Join Advisors from the Engineering Career Resource Center and the College of Engineering CAPS office to learn strategies for coping with stress and self-doubt, as well as discovering how you can stay focused and navigate your continued job search. There's plenty of time to find valuable opportunities, and we're here to help!

Join at the following Zoom Link: https://umich.zoom.us/j/93691826960

Registration in Engineering Careers, by 12twenty is encouraged but not required.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 4:00pm
Location: Biological Sciences Building
Organized By: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

This event is part of our ongoing Thursday Seminar Series.

About this seminar: The Amazon hosts one of the largest and richest rainforests in the world and has a history going back to the beginning of the Cenozoic (66 Ma). Species richness was mainly driven by climate and geological forces in combination with edaphic and biotic factors. Here I will review the Neogene history and past species composition in the Amazon in the light of Andean uplift, plate-mantle interaction, climate and environmental change, and marine incursions.

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 4:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Inclusion at RSM Webcast Series: Bridging the gap: Supporting military veterans, active service members and their families in the workplace For active military members, veterans and their families, transitioning into or balancing civilian careers can present challenges and opportunities. This session invites students, activeservice members, veterans and their families to explore how workplaces can be inclusive and supportive of those who serve. We’ll dive into the unique strengths that military experience brings—such as adaptability, leadership and discipline—and discuss practical strategies for navigatingthe transition, building career pathways, and fostering a workplace culture that recognizes and supports military service.  

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 3:30pm
Location: West Hall
Organized By: Department of Astronomy

"XRISM – A New Window into the X-ray Universe"

At 23:42 UTC on September 6th, 2023, the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan, ushering in a new era of high-energy astrophysics. XRISM, an international JAXA/NASA collaboration including participation from ESA, is an advanced X-ray observatory capable of carrying out a science program that will address some of the most important questions in astrophysics in the 2020s. XRISM is essentially a rebuild of the Hitomi (Astro-H) spacecraft that was lost due to an operational mishap early in the mission in 2016. Resolve, the primary instrument on XRISM, is a high-resolution, non-dispersive X-ray spectrometer operating between 0.3-12 keV, providing high-resolution (~5 eV) spectroscopic capabilities in this critical energy band with a response peaking around the ubiquitous 6.4 keV Fe K-alpha line. A wide-field imager, Xtend, will offer simultaneous coverage over nearly a 40’ square field of view, with ~1’ spatial resolution. XRISM will study all manner of astrophysical objects, including galaxies and clusters, AGN, X-ray binaries, supernova remnants, transient phenomena, stars, and the interstellar medium. In this talk, I will highlight some of the scientific topics that XRISM will address, in addition to providing a general status update on the mission. I will discuss the synergies between high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and observations at other wavelengths, including optical, radio, and IR, and summarize the General Observer program, where funding is available for observers based at U.S. institutions.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 3:00pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies

This presentation focuses on the importance of studying contemporary Gulf states. The definition of contemporary in this context considers the period starting from the early 1990s. The reason for this has to do with the collapse of the Soviet Union, regional changes like the invasion of Kuwait and its consequences, and the wider Middle Eastern regional consequences. The presentation also looks at the patterns that emerged in all Gulf states at the same time in different contexts: political, economic, and social.

Mahjoob Zweiri is a professor of contemporary politics and Middle Eastern history with a focus on Iran and the Gulf region. He was the director of the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University from 2018 to 2024 and the head of the humanities department from 2011 to 2016. Before joining Qatar University in 2010, Zweiri was a senior researcher in Middle Eastern politics and Iran at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan. From March 2003 to December 2006, he was a research fellow and then director of the Centre for Iranian Studies in the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Durham University. Zweiri has more than 95 publications in the areas of Iran, contemporary Middle Eastern history and politics, Gulf studies, social sciences in universities of the future, and artificial intelligence’s role in social sciences. In addition to Arabic, he is fluent in Farsi and English. Zweiri is the founder and editor of the *Journal of Gulf Studies*, published by Intellect, and editor of the book series *Contemporary Gulf States*. Currently, he is a visiting professor at the University of Michigan.

Register and attend over Zoom: https://myumi.ch/pkJWz.

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 1:00pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: School of Social Work

Perinatal mental health is gaining recognition as a key antecedent of adverse maternal and child outcomes as the United States experiences a maternal mortality and morbidity crisis. Recent policy efforts have attempted to mitigate adverse outcomes through legislation and extending access to care with postpartum coverage through Medicaid expansion. Even with progress, perinatal mental health policy continues to grapple with a basic truth: The United States lacks an overarching health care system capable of meeting the mental health care needs of perinatal people and their families. Moreover, the burden of undiagnosed and untreated perinatal mental health challenges remains greatest among racially minoritized populations, such as Black, Asian, and multiracial people. A broader understanding of perinatal mental health is needed, grounded in the tenets of reproductive justice. Drawing from the reproductive justice framework and the NAPSW code of ethics, this talk will articulate specific policies to meet perinatal mental health challenges and promote thriving for birthing people and their families.

Free and open to the public.
**Due to an overwhelming response, we are no longer offering Continuing Education credit to eligible attendees.** However, we are still accepting RSVPs! Those who RSVPd early on and indicated they were interested in receiving CE credit will still be allowed to fulfill the requirements for CE credit, but unfortunately, we cannot continue to offer this option to further RSVPs. We hope to receive your RSVP so that you can attend. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 12:00pm
Location: Palmer Commons
Organized By: Life Sciences Institute (LSI)

Molecular compartmentalization is vital for cellular physiology. For instance, proteins for intercellular adhesion and communication are localized to the cell surface while many energy-producing enzymes stay in the mitochondrion. High-resolution, proteome-wide mapping of protein localization is of core importance for understanding cellular organization and processes.

In this talk, Jiefu Li, Ph.D., will describe an end-to-end pipeline for in situ cell-surface proteomics, from chemical and transgenic tools to a user-friendly platform for data analysis, and present how in situ cell-surface proteomics of developing brains discovers “outside-the-box” regulators of neuronal wiring. Moreover, in vivo interactome mapping of key synaptic organizers uncovers the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic matching and maturation and highlights the RhoGAP/RhoGEF as a signaling hub for synaptic development.

Speaker:
Jiefu Li, Ph.D.
Group Leader, 4D Cellular Physiology
Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 12:00pm
Location: Weiser Hall
Organized By: Center for Japanese Studies

Please note: This lecture will be held in person in room 1010 Weiser Hall and virtually via Zoom. This webinar is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Once you've registered, the joining information will be sent to your email. Register for the Zoom webinar at: https://myumi.ch/RmN4G

The Korean scholar-bureaucrats (yangban) have been drawing public attention among Japanese intellectuals since the beginning of the 20th century. This lecture reviews how Japanese magazines represented yangban, tracing how their image changed from the evil noblemen that kept Korean society stagnant to the graceful embodiers of vanishing authentic Korean culture. Both these images, and even the transition from one to the other, were driven by a Japanese version of orientalism.

Shimpei Cole Ota is a sociocultural anthropologist trained both in Seoul National University (ABD, 2003) and Osaka University (Ph.D., 2007). His basic question focuses on what brings drastic changes to societies and cultures, especially before and after modernization, liberalization, and globalization in South Korea and Korean America.

This lecture is made possible with the generous support of the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at umcjs@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 11:00am
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Join us to get to know our team and program! Talk with the Residency Program Directors and residents. Sign-up here! Please RSVP by November 5th. We will email you a link to join the virtual open house when the date gets closer. https://monument.health/careers/residencies/rapid-city-hospital-pharmacy-residency/recruiting-events/  Monument Health Rapid City Hospital (RCH) in Rapid City, South Dakota is recruiting three PGY1 pharmacy residents for the 2025-2026 residencyyear. The mission of the Monument Health Rapid City Hospital pharmacy residency program is to develop capable, confident, and independent pharmacists through impactful learning experiences led by preceptors that challenge, inspire, and support residents. For our PGY1 program, we offer experiences in both acute and ambulatory settings. Required rotations include orientation, ambulatory care, critical care, infectious disease, internal medicine, and pediatrics/neonatology and longitudinal drug information, HIV clinic, management, project, and staffing. Electives are available for ambulatory care cardiology, antimicrobial stewardship, cardiology (inpatient), emergency medicine, evening ICU, family medicine ambulatory care, home infusion/home care, internal medicine II, medication safety, nephrology, oncology, psychiatry, specialty pharmacy, and surgical ICU/OR. A teaching certificate as well as leadership certificate are offered. Our site offers PGY2 residency programs specializing in critical care and oncology. Our residency program offers:  Flexible & tailored program for each resident Solid foundation of corerotations & a wide variety of elective rotations Excellent preceptors Elective teaching certificate  Elective leadership certificate Four weeks of project time Opportunities for publication Competitive salary Multiple presentation opportunities Weekly residency meetings Resident-led penicillin skin testing service Private office space for residents Resident staffing every third weekend in both decentralized and centralized locations Financial support to attend the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, Midwest Pharmacy Residents Conference in Omaha, and SDSHP Annual Meeting as well as SDSHP Resident Conference. PGY2 residency programs in critical care and oncology For more information, please see our website at http://monument.health/pharmacyresidency orcontact Katie Hayes at khayes@monument.health.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 9:00am
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Did you know that if you have at least a bachelor's degree in any area, you may be eligible for teaching certification? During this virtual information session, you will learn about the steps to become certified to teach in Florida and get a snapshot of our career opportunities, benefits, employee perks, and more!To receive a meeting link, register here: https://forms.office.com/r/MMpsLGrGRiThe Osceola School District is located in Centra Florida - https://www.osceolaschools.net/Connect with us!https://www.linkedin.com/company/osceolaschoolsfl/https://www.facebook.com/SDOCHumanResources.  

Proteomics International Appoints New Director, No Securities Held  TipRanks

The post Working Families reveals average parental benefits appeared first on Personnel Today.

Foursome Follies Pewter by Disney Chilmark is a(n) Chilmark Studios. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 500 pcs

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that Canada has topped its international rankings of the Top 10 Countries for LEED. The list highlights countries outside of the U.S. that are making significant strides in sustainable building.

Enercare Inc. has announced the launch of the Enercare Fresh Start Program, a new corporate social responsibility program designed to help families transitioning between temporary shelters and a home of their own.

Constrafor is stepping up to support local contractors across Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia with a comprehensive Disaster Relief Effort. This initiative, in conjunction with their Early Pay Program (EPP), aims to provide immediate financial support to contractors, enabling them to overcome delays, secure materials, and ensure timely payment for their teams.

There is just one to take note of, as highlighted in bold. But dollar domination is the name of the game now, so just be wary that the expiries aren't going to matter all too much.

The one highlighted is for EUR/USD at the 1.0550 level. However, it isn't one that holds any technical significance now that the pair has broken below the April low of 1.0601. The 1.0500 mark is next on the cards with the October 2023 lows beckoning below that closer to 1.0450.

The monthly chart for the pair highlights how we've been in a range between roughly 1.0500 to 1.1200 since the start of 2023. So, there is some key technical focus towards the downside support there and that's the more important level to pay attention to with the dollar continuing to push upwards.

For more information on how to use this data, you may refer to this post here.

TASHKENT, 21 September 2015 – An OSCE-organized week-long training course for Uzbek law enforcement bodies on identifying and tracing illegitimate assets and the various instruments of asset forfeiture and recovery began today in Tashkent.

Experts from the Basel Institute of Governance will share international best practices with senior representatives in charge of international legal co-operation and the fight against corruption and money laundering within the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Interior and other law enforcement bodies.

“The ability to launder ill-acquired assets outside of the jurisdiction of their country of origin is one of the major enablers of corrupt behaviours,” said Ambassador Gyorgy Szabo, Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “This is why the OSCE regards the identification and recovery of illegitimate assets, no matter where they might be hidden, as a crucial element of the fight against corruption.”

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized the training course jointly with the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation, the Basel Institute of Governance and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan.

During the course, participants will also learn about the mechanisms of international mutual legal assistance and how they can be used during anti-corruption investigations.

Related Stories

• OSCE supports roundtable discussion in Uzbekistan on a methodology for assessing money-laundering and terrorism-financing risks
• OSCE organizes Regional Conference on Horticultural Trade in Tashkent
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator lights up central Tashkent with 20 solar-powered street lamps

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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• OSCE Office in Tajikistan launches Mentoring Training Programme for women politicians
• OSCE Office in Tajikistan donates audio-visual material to enhance interactive teaching at Police Academy
• OSCE Office in Tajikistan’s training series highlights role of parents in the fight against terrorism

Awards recognizing best practices in local governance in Montenegro’s municipalities over the course of this year were presented at a ceremony organized on 28 December 2015 in Podgorica by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in co-operation with the Union of Municipalities and the Ministry of Interior.

The annual Awards, now in their eighth year, are open to all local government units and allow them to showcase successful and innovative solutions and initiatives in providing services to their citizens.

Opening the award ceremony, Chairperson of the Executive Board of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro and Mayor of Cetinje, Aleksandar Bogdanović, said the Awards were the product of the excellent co-operation of national authorities, local government and international organizations with the aim of supporting sustainable development at the local level.

Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission Dan Redford said: “The OSCE Mission to Montenegro has always and will continue to support each and every effort of local governance units in Montenegro to enhance principles of good governance in their communities. These are of fundamental importance because local government is closest to citizens and provides them with essential services. Our goal has always been to mobilize and stimulate action by local stakeholders so that the citizens may benefit from good democratic governance at the local level, through the continuously improving quality of local public services.”

General Director of Directorate for State and Local Authorities in the Ministry of Interior Dragana Ranitović said this programme is of great importance for local governance units as it enables the sharing of best practices among municipalities and that it could be expanded further to facilitate bilateral cross-border co-operation.

The winners of this year’s Awards are:

• Žabljak Municipality for its economical financial practices;
• Budva Municipality for its effective human resources management through an electronic personnel recording system;
• Petnjica Municipality for establishing institutional models to enhance co-operation with citizens and the diaspora;
• Bijelo Polje Municipality for its work in economically empowering women;
• Berane Municipality for establishing a Secretariat for Sports, Culture, Youth and Co-operation with NGOs, and a Youth Council.

Berane Municipality also received a special award for introducing a more efficient accounting management system for budget spending, and for establishing the post of an Internal controller.

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• OSCE Mission to Montenegro-supported campaign on benefits of composting kicks-off in Pljevlja
• OSCE Mission to Montenegro supports seminar on strengthening co-operation between prosecutors and police on forensic evidence
• OSCE Mission to Montenegro and Montenegrin parliament hosted meeting of Secretaries General of Western Balkans parliaments

PODGORICA, 4 April 2016 - In response to articles carried in various media outlets, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro would like to clarify its role regarding the upcoming elections. While the Mission has contracted an international senior-level expert to advise the State Election Commission (SEC) on their technical preparations for the parliamentary elections anticipated for this autumn, the Mission does not observe elections.

This expert is currently working with the SEC in developing training materials to be used by election commissioners for the upcoming local government election in Tivat on 17 April.

Through its senior-level technical expert, the Mission will continue its efforts in providing technical assistance to the SEC up to and including the conclusion of parliamentary elections.

The relevant institution within the OSCE responsible for election observation is the Warsaw-based OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR). As per the OSCE/ODIHR's election observation methodology, during the deployment of an election related activity for parliamentary elections, a clear separation of mandates between the OSCE/ODIHR and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro will be maintained.

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Secretaries General and Deputy Secretaries General of Western Balkans parliaments, heads of human resources and information and communications technology departments, legal advisors and representatives of OSCE Missions in the region took part in a meeting on strategic and annual planning in parliaments in Podgorica, Montenegro on 1 and 2 June 2016.

The aim of the event, hosted by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Montenegrin Parliament, was to discuss current developments and exchange best practices and lessons learned in regard to planning in parliaments.  

Dan Redford, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, stressed the importance of developing the institutional capacity of parliaments to make them strong and self-reliant.

Suljo Mustafic, Secretary General of the Parliament of Montenegro, thanked the OSCE Mission to Montenegro for its support and co-operation in publishing the Parliamentary Lexicon - a collection of terms used in parliamentary life - which was presented at the meeting. Mustafic underlined the importance of transparency in the decision-making process and the benefits of planned development of parliamentary institutions regardless of the constant changes that parliaments underlie. 

Related Stories

• OSCE-supported Awards recognize best practices in local governance in Montenegrin municipalities
• OSCE-supported conference on accessibility of public buildings for persons with disabilities organized in Budva
• OSCE Mission to Montenegro-supported campaign on benefits of composting kicks-off in Pljevlja

PODGORICA, 12 July  2016 - OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier concluded today a two-day visit to Montenegro, marking the 10th anniversary of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. “After independence, this country entrusted the OSCE with an important responsibility: to help advance security, democracy, the rule of law and human rights for Montenegrin citizens,” Zannier said.  

During his visit, the Secretary General met with President Filip Vujanovic, Parliament Speaker Darko Pajovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, Deputy Prime Minister Dusko Markovic and Minister of Interior Goran Danilovic, as well as representatives of civil society.

Zannier commended the Montenegrin authorities for their commitment to undertaking reforms and encouraged further progress, offering OSCE’s continued support in line with national priorities. “The OSCE remains one of the country’s key partners in helping to further develop independent, open and transparent institutions that enjoy wide public trust,” he stated.

Discussing preparations for the parliamentary elections on 16 October, the Secretary General commended the sense of responsibility already demonstrated by political parties in overcoming the recent political crisis through a broad political agreement adopted last April, which was important, above all, for the Montenegrin people.

“Political leaders managed to successfully bridge their differences by reaching a compromise, one that aims to serve the public interest,” said Zannier. “Now we need to see this agreement implemented in full, and in good faith.”

During his meetings, the Secretary General stated that the parliamentary elections will be an important test for the country, adding that the Mission to Montenegro is providing technical assistance to the State Election Commission until the end of 2016. “All actors involved in the preparation of elections should work together as closely as possible in line with their responsibilities as set out in the law. This is vital for having a credible election,” Zannier concluded.

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• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier and Secretary General Zannier offer condolences on passing of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel

DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Combating the illicit trade in cultural property and the smuggling of historical artifacts was the focus of a week-long workshop organized by the OSCE for representatives of Tajik Border Troops, Customs Service, State Committee of National Security, the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Internal Affairs, in Dushanbe from 11 to 15 July 2016.  

The workshop, organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in co-operation with the OSCE Border Management Staff College, examined the trafficking of cultural property and smuggling of historical artefacts as an emerging trend for funding organized crime and terrorist organizations. The workshop also highlighted the roles of the responsible agencies in addressing the problem.

“Being the first workshop of its kind organized by the OSCE, we were shown that this is not only an issue of cultural protection but that it has become a serious transnational security issue as well,” said Ambassador Markus Mueller, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “As such, and bearing in mind its complexity, this problem can be tackled efficiently only by increasing the knowledge of the officers from different government agencies as well as through promoting co-operation among them."

During the workshop, participants heard from experts at the OSCE, INTERPOL, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Greek National Police’s Department Against the Smuggling of Antiquities, the UNESCO Office in Afghanistan and the Afghan Customs Service. They shared their experiences on cross-border co-operation in identifying the trafficking of cultural property cases and financial investigations into the smuggling of historical artefacts.

WARSAW, 9 July 2016 ─ Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan to reconsider the case of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, and again called on the Kyrgyz authorities to heed a decision of the UN Human Rights Committee calling for Askarov’s release.

A Supreme Court hearing is scheduled to review Mr. Askarov’s case on Monday, 11 July.

“I welcome Kyrgyzstan’s openness to reviewing Azimjan Askarov’s case, and my Office stands ready to support the Kyrgyz authorities in their implementation of OSCE commitments related to human rights,” said Director Link. “Kyrgyzstan is obligated under both international law and its own Constitution to quash Askarov’s conviction and immediately release him.”

On 21 April 2016, the UN Human Rights Committee decided in favour of a complaint filed by Askarov, finding that he had been arbitrarily detained, held in inhumane conditions, tortured and mistreated, and prevented from adequately preparing his trial defence. The Committee called on Kyrgyzstan to immediately release him, overturn his conviction, and provide him with compensation for the violations of his human rights. Article 41.2 of the Kyrgyz Constitution requires authorities to implement the Human Rights Committee decision.

“Mr. Askarov’s ongoing detention is not only unlawful, as the UN Human Rights Committee made clear, but also inhumane, in light of the serious deterioration of his health,” the ODIHR Director said. “We look forward to Mr. Askarov’s release and the restoration of his rights, including his access to urgently needed medical care outside of confinement.”

Askarov was reportedly subjected to ill-treatment during his initial detention by police and during his trial. Despite very serious health concerns, he was denied access to adequate medical treatment by detention officials. Since then, he has been held at Penal Colony No. 47, in Bishkek, where his health has reportedly deteriorated further.

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WARSAW, 21 July 2016 - Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today underlined that the principles of rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights need to be upheld in Turkey, following the attempted coup.

“Any attempt to overthrow democratically elected leaders is unacceptable and is to be condemned. In responding to these unconstitutional events, however, all actions by the Turkish authorities must not exceed the legal framework of the Turkish Constitution and Turkey's international human right commitments,” said Director Link. “In investigating these events and holding responsible those who have attempted the coup, the authorities must ensure that human rights standards, due process, fair trial rights and respect for the independence of the judiciary are respected. Talk by authorities of a possible reintroduction of the death penalty and the summary firing of thousands of judges are clearly crossing the line of existing legal standards."

The ODIHR Director’s statement follows reports that thousands of judges and prosecutors across the country were detained, arrested or dismissed from their positions immediately after the failed coup attempt.

“These actions raise serious concerns regarding the Turkish authorities' respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Also the newly announced three-month state of emergency cannot legitimize disproportional measures, such as, among many others, the recently announced work-travel ban on academics,” Director Link said.

At the OSCE summit in Istanbul in 1999, OSCE participating States agreed to promote the development of independent judicial systems. This principle is further stressed in other OSCE commitments that call upon participating States to respect judges’ freedom of expression and association, guaranteed tenure and appropriate conditions of service, and the discipline, suspension and removal of judges according to law.

“ODIHR is ready to offer any assistance to Turkey in this challenging moment. Putting those who attempted the violent coup on trial is crucial,” said Director Link. “ODIHR is available to monitor these trials, in line with its existing and proven methodology. A Turkish invitation to the OSCE to monitor these trials would demonstrate Turkey's compliance with international standards, even in times of a state of emergency.”

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In promoting education as a tool for conflict prevention, The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities have offered a toolkit for preservation, inspiration and dialogue, said OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors as she opened an expert meeting on 21 April 2016 at The Hague to mark two decades of these ground-breaking Recommendations.

Thors said that the Recommendations had been instrumental in preserving minority education during times of transition and education reforms, and an inspiration in calling for a proactive approach by OSCE participating States towards a progressive yet realistic realization of minority rights in education. She said the Recommendations have also encouraged the involvement of parents and minorities in formulating policies as well as providing a framework for dialogue that is useful for both the participating States and national minorities.

Discussions during the meeting focused on reforms to the education sector and accommodating diversity, language in multilingual educational contexts, and respect for diversity and pluralism in education content.

Participants agreed on the need to further share best practices, promote broader engagement and to adapt to changing environments.

Particularly emphasized was the need for teachers to receive adequate training to be equipped to manage multilingual and multicultural classrooms and for the foundations of education systems to be solid enough to handle adversity, such as budget cuts and extensive reforms.

Acknowledging the role of education in fostering a sense of opportunity and belonging, experts said that the politicization of history is not conducive to conflict prevention. Instead, different views should be allowed as an increased level of historical knowledge and understanding will lead to historical empathy, which can in turn lead to a unifying feeling when the pain of the past is shared.

The experts agreed a set of recommendations for future work in the field of minority education rights, which will be published as follow up to this event.

The expert meeting was held a day after a HCNM-organized conference gathered 180 participants from 32 participating States to assess two decades of The Hague Recommendations. Among the participants of the conference were government officials, experts, teachers, education professionals, non-governmental actors and other local and international stakeholders active in the field of education, conflict prevention and peace-making.

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OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Washington DC and New York City from 25 to 29 April 2016, where she explored opportunities to strengthen co-operation in conflict prevention, implementing early action policies and in fostering inclusion within diverse societies.

Thors met with officials from the United States and representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations Secretariat, Funds, Programmes and Agencies, as well as members of the academia, think tanks and human rights organizations.

During her visit, Thors welcomed the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of the Resolution 2282 (2016) on the Review of United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture as renewed meaningful support to conflict prevention worldwide. In discussions, it was also noted that the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the data provided during their implementation are very relevantpertinent for building just and inclusive societies.

“I am pleased with the strengthened partnerships with the wider international community achieved during my trip, in particular in thematic areas such as access to justice and education, both highly relevant to national minorities and conflict prevention,” Thors concluded.

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OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Croatia from 9 to 10 May 2016. During her visit, Thors focused on promoting the effective implementation of the Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities, in particular the provisions regarding languages and scripts; on education matters; and, on issues pertaining to national minorities and good neighbourly relations.

Concerned that marginalizing or stigmatizing national minorities poses a threat to the cohesion of society and to bilateral relations, Thors urged the systematic condemnation of discriminatory rhetoric or conduct.

“Divisive rhetoric has proven a dangerous path. The more diversity, the richer a society is, as different cultures are the shared wealth of all,” Thors said. “It is crucial to foster a sense of belonging for all members of society in order to effectively promote the integration process,” she added. Thors called for ensuring the protection of the rights of national minorities whilst avoiding polarization of the society along ethnic lines, consistent with The Ljubljana Guidelines on the Integration of Diverse Societies, published by HCNM in 2012.

The High Commissioner also emphasized the need for a renewed dialogue between all political and social actors to overcome difficulties, including those related to the protection of minority rights, in a consultative manner. In this context, Thors welcomed the thorough process of the curricular reform and reiterated her support to teaching of a common curriculum, regardless of the instruction language, as an effective way to integrate diverse societies and provide for common points of understanding.

Thors was encouraged by the prospect of further co-operation with Croatian institutions. She also welcomed the attention given to the existing joint bilateral inter-governmental commissions. “Co-ordination of efforts with neighbouring countries in this field and the active role played by all ministries under the auspices of the State Office of Croats Abroad could consolidate the shared European aspirations in the neighbourhood,” Thors noted.

The High Commissioner met a variety of key interlocutors in Zagreb. These included Zdravka Bušić, Deputy Foreign Minister; Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović, Minister of Public Administration; Predrag Šustar, Minister of Science, Education and Sports; Furio Radin, Milorad Pupovac, Ivan Radić, and Marko Sladojev, Chairperson and members of the Parliamentary Committee on Human and National Minority Rights, respectively; Aleksandar Tolnauer, President of the Council for National Minorities; Lora Vidović, Ombudsman; Branko Sočana, Director of the Government Office for Human Rights and Rights of the National Minorities; and Zvonko Milas, Head of the State Office for Croats Abroad.

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Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 2 June 2016, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors described country engagement and highlighted the disturbing increase in hate speech.

The statement covered the High Commissioner’s activities since her last statement to the Permanent Council in November 2015. During this period Thors visited Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova.

The High Commissioner expressed concern about the increase in hate speech targeting national minorities. Thors called for renewed efforts to tackle hate speech in order to prevent tensions and to promote integration with respect for diversity.

Thors also informed the Permanent Council about the work her institution is doing together with researchers to identify best practices that highlight the bridge building potential of national minorities in diverse societies.

The full statement can be found here.

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During her visit to Kosovo from 7 to 10 June 2016, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors focused on education, implementation of the framework of language rights and access to justice.

The High Commissioner continues to urge for the adoption of the Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Language Rights, contending that it will make the implementation of legislation more efficient and improve the quality and the consistency of different language versions of legal acts. “When in place, the strategy will lead to positive results quickly,” said Thors.

The visit included Prishtinë/Priština, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Prizren, Janjevë/Janjevo and Gračanica/Gracanicë where Thors met with ministers, local authorities, media representatives, judges, university professors and students, as well as representatives of the international community. The High Commissioner was joined in several meetings by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger.

Thors commended the recent adoption of an administrative instruction of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, which will make it easier for members of non-majority communities to pursue studies at universities in Kosovo as it, among others issues, improves the functioning of the existing quota system.

Whilst visiting the University of Prizren, the High Commissioner expressed concern that courses taught in Turkish and Bosnian have not yet received official accreditation for the next academic year. Such courses cater to the fundamental needs of non-majority communities in Kosovo. “I encourage relevant authorities to take urgent measures so that these options remain available also the next academic year,” said Thors.

High Commissioner Thors discussed extensively with a number of stakeholders the prospective establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities as well as ways to overcome the current stalemate in the process. She heard views on the need to respect the relevant legal framework but also to meet the expectations of concerned communities, in north Kosovo as elsewhere. Thors also noted the concerns expressed by Serbs living outside Serb majority municipalities, as well as non-Serb non-majority communities, who fear they will not benefit from the process.

In several meetings Thors pointed to the need to improve access to justice for all non-majority communities, to thoroughly follow up on crimes targeting them, as well as to fully enforce their property rights. “When such crimes are investigated and prosecuted, it sends a powerful and reassuring message to non-majority communities that their rights will be effectively protected by the authorities.”

On the last day of her visit, Thors attended a class of Serbian language instruction for Kosovo Albanian officials from the municipality of Prishtinë/Priština, part of a flagship partnership project on language acquisition by municipal officials sponsored by the Office of the Language Commissioner and the HCNM, with German funding, and implemented by the ECMI Kosovo.

The visit served to underline the importance attached by the High Commissioner to language learning as a key building block for integrated societies: “Speaking more than one language is beneficial, both for the person who speaks them and for society as a whole; it is even more important for local government officials, who regularly engage with members of public, to be able to communicate with every person in their community.”

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THE HAGUE / TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today awarded a certificate of participation to eight interns from Georgia’s national minority communities in Tbilisi. The certificate recognizes the immersive and proactive involvement of the young professionals in their mid-twenties in the day-to-day life of Georgia’s political parties during an intensive one-month internship programme in May-June 2016.

This programme is part of a two-year project, jointly implemented by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, which aims to encourage the participation of minority communities in mainstream politics and to promote multiparty dialogue.

“All diverse societies face the immense challenge of involving ethnic communities fully in the political arena. Engaging young people from national minority communities in the day-to-day work of political parties gives them a deeper insight into political life. The inclusion of minority communities in political life and their fair and equal representation in the public sector is a key ingredient for the successful integration of diverse societies,” said Steinmeier.

Now in its final phase, the Multiparty Dialogue – Strengthening the Participation of National Minorities in Political Life project has been in operation since its launch in September 2014 to encourage and support the involvement of national minorities in politics as a conflict prevention measure to make Georgia a more cohesive, integrated and resilient State. At the same time it has also helped to strengthen the Georgian political system in its efforts to reach out to, and engage with, national minorities.  

This pioneering project − the first of its kind in Georgia – provided young people from regions of Georgia with significant ethnic Armenian and ethnic Azeri populations with a unique opportunity to have first-hand experience of the work involved in running a political party. Furthermore, in addition to giving parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties the chance to work closely with young people from national minority communities, it also provided them with the necessary tools and insights to develop their own Action Plans on Minority Participation. These plans are now being finalized in time for preparations for the parliamentary elections in October 2016. Television also played an innovative role in this project, culminating in the production of five topical talk shows related to essential issues that affect national minorities such as integration and political participation. In addition, four policy papers will be published in August 2016.

Following on from her visit earlier this year to Tbilisi, High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors said: “The project activities in Georgia are an inspiring example of the effective promotion of the HCNM Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life. In this regard, I hope our project has helped to encourage these interns to actively participate in political life and also encourage others of their generation to do so.” 

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A week-long regional summer school on multilingual and multicultural education was held from 10 July to 16 July 2016 in Cholponata in Kyrgyzstan - the fifth regional summer school organized as part of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities’ (HCNM) Central Asia Education Programme.

Organized by the HCNM in co-operation with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education and Science, UNICEF and the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan, the summer school brought together 86 participants representing education institutions of the Central Asian States and of the wider region, including teacher trainers, methodological experts, university and pilot school managers and teachers, as well as international experts.

The summer school was aimed at providing practical expert support to further develop the capacity of education authorities and practitioners within multilingual and multicultural education.

Opening the summer school, Deputy Minister of Education of Kyrgyzstan Toktobubu Ashymbaeva highlighted the important role of the teacher in multilingual education programmes.

During the week, participants discussed pre-service and in-service teacher training, as well as facilitating the implementation of multilingual education programmes. Participants also developed training materials aimed at monitoring and evaluating multilingual and multicultural education programmes. As a result, eleven thematic materials were developed with the aim to further adapt them for practical use within the education institutions of the region.

Flera Saifulina, Head of the National Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation, found that the diverse forms of activities enabled participants to express their opinions, raise concerns and receive comprehensive answers from fellow experts. She also expressed satisfaction to see how education is used for the integration of societies in the Central Asian countries.

Tatiana Aderikhina, Co-ordinator of Education and Child Protection Issues at UNICEF Kazakhstan, said: “I am glad that the cooperation between HCNM and UNICEF Kyrgyzstan continues as it brings synergies and benefits the target country.”

Zaiyrbek Ergeshev, representative of the Department of the Ethnic and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, concluded that multilingual and multicultural education is an important factor for forming a civic identity.

Since 2012, the High Commissioner has been implementing the Central Asia Education Programme, aimed at promoting multilingual and multicultural education and developing bilateral and multilateral co‑operation in the region to improve the education of national minorities and promote the integration of society.

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DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Combating the illicit trade in cultural property and the smuggling of historical artifacts was the focus of a week-long workshop organized by the OSCE for representatives of Tajik Border Troops, Customs Service, State Committee of National Security, the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Internal Affairs, in Dushanbe from 11 to 15 July 2016.  

The workshop, organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in co-operation with the OSCE Border Management Staff College, examined the trafficking of cultural property and smuggling of historical artefacts as an emerging trend for funding organized crime and terrorist organizations. The workshop also highlighted the roles of the responsible agencies in addressing the problem.

“Being the first workshop of its kind organized by the OSCE, we were shown that this is not only an issue of cultural protection but that it has become a serious transnational security issue as well,” said Ambassador Markus Mueller, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “As such, and bearing in mind its complexity, this problem can be tackled efficiently only by increasing the knowledge of the officers from different government agencies as well as through promoting co-operation among them."

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