I’ve gone subway hopping for photos in every city I’ve been to except the one I live in. ???? (at Toronto, Ontario)

The county said the 32-hour workweek has attracted a host of new talent: Applications have spiked 85.5% and open positions are being filled 23.75% faster, while more employees are staying in their jobs -- separation (employees quitting or retiring) dropped by 48%. And 84% of employees said their work-life balance was better.

The "Call for speakers and workshop facilitators" was sent to the web-support JISCMail list. [22 Jan 2008]

A reminder of the "Call for speakers and workshop facilitators" was sent to the web-support JISCMail list. [21 Feb 2008]

Lawrie Phipps is an environmental science graduate turned learning technologist. He worked on the development of Web-based resources, computer simulations and 'virtual' fieldwork for several years before running the JISC-funded TechDis Service, which looks at all aspects of Technology and Disabilities in the further and higher education sectors. Lawrie maintains a research interest in virtual lab and fieldwork in the sciences. The title of Lawrie's talk is "Legislation, Disabilities and Educational Web Sites".

James Lappin is a records management consultant and trainer. He writes on records management topics for his blog Thinking Records. James is the co-author of Northumbria University's 'Investigation into the use of SharePoint in UK Higher Education Institutions' published in January 2010. He is an accredited trainer for the European Commission, for whom he provides records management training. James obtained his MA in Archives and Records Management at UCL in 1994, after which he held records management roles at The National Archives, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and the Wellcome Trust. He worked as a consultant and trainer for TFPL between 2004 and 2008, before founding his company Thinking Records, at the start of 2009. James will be giving a plenary talk entitled "The impact of SharePoint in Higher Education" with Peter Gilbert, part of the Doing the Day Job session.

David Hyett, Head of Information and Records Management, British Antarctic Survey gives a plenary talk on Web 2.0 - Whatever Happened to Web 1.0? At the start of the redevelopment of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) external Web site, there was initial enthusiasm for "Web 2.0" with many stakeholders using the term without actually knowing what it meant. Fancy, interactive interfaces, are no substitute for good information architecture, good navigation and good content - all of which should be underpinned by understanding the user and their goals. The session will look at how the Web 2.0 concept can be interpreted and will argue that it should be used with caution. Web 2.0 by any definition is likely to have its place within an organisation's Web strategy but should only be considered once we've got Web 1.0 right! And let's now forget about "Usability 2.0" and "Accessibility 2.0" either! The experience and lessons learned by BAS will be highlighted.

The Victorian Government has this week invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the delivery of 13 new schools under the $223 million New Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The PPP will see the selected consortium finance, design and construct 13 new schools and maintain them over a 25 year period. The schools will be built in two tranches, with the first tranche opening to students in 2017 and the second in 2018. The Victorian Government will retain responsibility for teaching and curriculum, with the Government stating that the structure will allow teaching staff to focus wholly on educational outcomes.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 4:00pm
Location: Institute For Social Research
Organized By: Institute for Social Research

Join us for a panel discussion featuring:
Vincent Hutchings, Hanes Walton Jr. Collegiate Professor of Political Science and Afroamerican and African Studies and Research Professor, ISR Center for Political Studies
Mara Ostfeld, Research Associate Professor, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Faculty Associate, ISR Center for Political Studies
Josh Pasek, Professor of Communication and Media and Faculty Associate, ISR Center for Political Studies
Nicholas Valentino, Donald R. Kinder Collegiate Professor of Political Science and Research Professor, ISR Center for Political Studies

Panelists will discuss the outcomes of the 2024 US elections, exploring key trends, voter behavior, and the implications for the future of American politics.

Light refreshments will be served.

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 3:00pm
Location: Industrial and Operations Engineering Building
Organized By: Industrial & Operations Engineering

About the speaker: Courtney Paquette is an assistant professor at McGill University and a CIFAR Canada AI chair, MILA. She was awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship in Computer Science in 2024. Paquette’s research broadly focuses on designing and analyzing algorithms for large-scale optimization problems, motivated by applications in data science. She is also interested in scaling limits of stochastic learning algorithms. She received her PhD from the mathematics department at the University of Washington (2017), held postdoctoral positions at Lehigh University (2017-2018) and the University of Waterloo (NSF postdoctoral fellowship, 2018-2019), and works 20% as a research scientist at Google DeepMind, Montreal.


Abstract: Given the massive scale of modern ML models, we now only get a single shot to train them effectively. This restricts our ability to test multiple architectures and hyper-parameter configurations. Instead, we need to understand how these models scale, allowing us to experiment with smaller problems and then apply those insights to larger-scale models. In this talk, I will present a framework for analyzing scaling laws in stochastic learning algorithms using a power-law random features model, leveraging high-dimensional probability and random matrix theory. I will then use this scaling law to address the compute-optimal question: How should we choose model size and hyper-parameters to achieve the best possible performance in the most compute-efficient manner?

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 Chicago Transit Board today approved the Chicago Transit Authority’s $2.16 billion operating budget for 2025, a strategic plan designed to maintain current fares, enhance bus and rail services beyond pre-pandemic levels and support continued investments in infrastructure and technology. The budget aims to further elevate the transit experience by prioritizing investments that address what’s most important to our riders, including system security, accessibility, reliability and safety.

Updated dates for the west side of the CTA Track Structure approximately 85ft south of W. Grace Street Work Hours for lead abatement and painting.

Newly elected Senate Republican leader John Thune (R-S.D.) reiterated his openness on Wednesday to potentially allowing recess appointments to skirt around the traditional confirmation process and quickly install President-elect Trump’s […]

Aquatherm North America has announced B&B Trade Distribution Centre as its newest distribution partner. B&B services the HVACR and sheet metal trades across Ontario from locations in Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton, London, and Windsor.

Paul Davis Restoration pledges $1 million to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This proactive donation ensures the Red Cross is equipped to meet the needs of those affected by disasters across the U.S. Discover how this significant contribution, along with volunteer efforts, supports disaster relief and community resilience. 

Phoenix Restoration Equipment announces the release of its new, free iPhone application that will instantly calculate the psychometric data essential to restoration professionals. 

Munters’s new psychrometric calculation tool, PsychroApp, easily calculates the thermodynamic properties of air from an iPhone or iPod Touch.

EagleView Technologies, the leader in 3D aerial roof measurements, offers a mobile app optimized for your iPad or Tablet.

Japan's former vice minister of finance for international affairs, Masato Kanda was reported with comments on Wednesday ICYMI.

• currency market volatility had increased reflecting recent changes in monetary policies and political situations in major countries
• "There is no change to our stance that we will need to respond appropriately to excess movements on the currency market as excessive foreign exchange volatility is undesirable"

His comments have not slowed the yen decline:

***

Kanda is now a special adviser to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the finance ministry., said in an interview that currency market volatility had increased reflecting recent changes in monetary policies and political situations in major countries.

Why it's important?

The ranges of estimates are important in terms of market reaction because when the actual data deviates from the expectations, it creates a surprise effect. Another important input in market's reaction is the distribution of forecasts.

In fact, although we can have a range of estimates, most forecasts might be clustered on the upper bound of the range, so even if the data comes out inside the range of estimates but on the lower bound of the range, it can still create a surprise effect.

Distribution of forecasts for PPI

PPI Y/Y

• 2.4% (11%)
• 2.3% (68%) - consensus
• 2.2% (16%)
• 2.0% (5%)

PPI M/M

• 0.4% (2%)
• 0.3% (13%)
• 0.2% (74%) - consensus
• 0.1% (7%)
• 0.0% (2%)
• -0.1% (2%)

Core PPI Y/Y

• 3.1% (12%)
• 3.0% (47%) - consensus
• 2.9% (35%)
• 2.7% (6%)

Core PPI M/M

• 0.3% (57%) - consensus
• 0.2% (40%)
• 0.1% (3%)

Analysis

We can ignore the headline PPI as the market will focus on the Core figures. We can notice that the expectations are skewed to the downside, so a higher than expected reading would be taken as more hawkish and likely give the US Dollar another boost. Conversely, a soft print could trigger a pullback.

The US Dollar remains in an uptrend as the market continues to price out the rate cuts expected in 2025. Right now we have another 25 bps cut priced for December and just two 25 bps cuts priced in 2025 which is already much lower than the Fed's projection of four.

Therefore, there's still a couple of rate cuts to price out in 2025 if the data continues to run hot, but at that point we would need a real acceleration in inflation to have the market pricing in a rate hike. For now, the bar for rate hikes is really high as the maximum the Fed is willing to do is to pause the easing cycle.

Justin had the news from the People's Bank of China here on Monday:

• PBOC governor will maintain yuan exchange rate at a reasonable, balanced level

And on Wednesday we saw the Bank trying to support CNY at the reference rate setting:

• PBoC promised stronger damping to support CNY, and that's what are seeing

And again today:

• PBOC sets USD/ CNY reference rate for today at 7.1966 (vs. estimate at 7.2326)

Offshore yuan may have seen the memo but its not paying it much heed:

The PBoC supported the CNY through the last bout of USD/CNY super-strength. They'll be doing the same again this time around, wary of capital outflow if they let the yuan drift too much lower. They'll be hoping US inflation doesn't take off higher and the Fed pauses ... or reverses.

For more details please see attached the Request for pre-qualification.

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TASHKENT, 20 May 2015 – A two-day workshop on cyber and ICT security issues began in Tashkent today. The event brought together some 40 participants, including 10 international experts from Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Switzerland, UK, USA as well as representatives of the national parliament, judiciary, ministries for information technology, foreign affairs, academia and law enforcement agencies.

The event facilitated discussions among international and national experts on global, regional and bilateral efforts to enhance international Cyber Security. Best practice and lessons learned in investigations in the field of counter-narrative strategies to counter extremism online as well as countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes were also debated. Participants also discussed current threats in cybercrime, local legislations and strategies in use.

“Cybercrime is a new kind of threat that makes people vulnerable to cyber-criminals who can commit crimes against victims located thousands of kilometres away”, stated Deputy Head of Police Academy, Abror Otajonov, in his opening remarks. “This threat to our security can only be addressed by ensuring close international cooperation and adopting comprehensive national policies and developing relevant capacities”.

Ben Hiller, Cyber Security Officer of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, said: ”With its comprehensive and inclusive approach the OSCE represents a bridge between different national and international approaches to tackling cyber/ICT threats and allows various stakeholders dealing with different cyber threats to move forward in a complementary manner.“

This event was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, as part of the multi-year support provided by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan to the National Police Academy to improve the staff training system. 

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TASHKENT, 22 June 2015 – A two-day training course on improving judicial responses to human trafficking, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the Lawyers’ Training Centre under the Uzbek Justice Ministry, was launched today in Tashkent.

Some 20 newly-appointed judges from all regions of Uzbekistan will discuss effective ways to use international and national legal tools in dealing with criminal cases on trafficking in human beings as well as relevant good judicial practices and challenges.

“The training course is designed to help the judges to assess the implementation of the non-punishment principle for victims while handling the criminal cases,” said Ambassador Gyorgy Szabo, Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “This kind of training course serves as a platform for the exchange of experience and professional expertise related to Human Rights Protection.”

Askar Gafurov, Director of the Lawyers’ Training Centre, said: “The training course is one of the commitments of Uzbekistan to improve the effectiveness of countering human trafficking and to develop a comprehensive victim-support system through expert advice and in service training activities.”

The training course is part of  the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’ s long-term project to assist Uzbekistan in combating trafficking in human beings.

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TASHKENT, 15 October 2015 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion introducing representatives of local law enforcement bodies to the methodology of a national assessment of money-laundering and terrorism-financing risks in Uzbekistan was held today in Tashkent.

International experts invited by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan presented the results of their work on devising a comprehensive and tailored methodology for conducting a national risk assessment in the country.

“The OSCE continues to support international efforts that have made national risk assessment the standard in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism,” said the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan Gyorgy Szabo. “We see this as an essential step on the road to eliminating money laundering and terrorism financing in Uzbekistan.”

The discussion is part of a wider process of consultations with representatives of Uzbek law-enforcement agencies and the private sector to implement a national risk assessment on money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

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TASHKENT, 5 November 2015 – Addressing and preventing human trafficking in the hospitality and tourism sector is the topic of a two-day OSCE-supported training course, launched today in Tashkent, for 25 representatives from Uzbekistan’s tourism infrastructure, airlines, airport services and police.

The course, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the National Inter-agency Commission on Counteracting Human Trafficking, aims to contribute to preventing human trafficking through awareness raising and developing the anti-trafficking codes of conduct for personnel.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan Gyorgy Szabo said the training course would help representatives from private businesses develop corporate responsibility for preventing human trafficking in the tourism infrastructure.  

Astrid Winkler, representative of the ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), said that “It is important that all stakeholders, including the tourism business, understand what human trafficking is and take a stance against it. Business can do a lot in terms of prevention.”

The training course is part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project to assist Uzbekistan in combating the trafficking in human beings.

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Equal access to justice for women and men was the focus of an OSCE-supported forum on 9 June 2016 in Kyiv, which brought together over 80 representatives of the national justice system, legislative and executive authorities, the Ombudsman Office, regional and international organizations and NGOs.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine organized the forum jointly with USAID’s Fair Justice project and the National Judicial Institute of Canada.

The participants discussed common barriers to access of women and men to justice, such as discriminatory laws, social and cultural patterns, gender bias in the justice system and lack of financial and other resources, and outlined the measures needed to gather gender- disaggregated statistical data in the judiciary. They also exchanged experiences and presented good practices for promoting equal access of women and men to justice and enhancing networking and partnerships among judiciary and civil society, and developed recommendations for improving gender mainstreaming in judicial reform.

During the forum, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator presented its new publication ‘Gender in Justice’, which provides recommendations for judges and lawyers on the implementation of gender equality in their work. The publication is based on the findings of a survey conducted among 400 judges and lawyers designed to uncover existing behavioural prejudices in their professional environment.

The event was organized as part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project on  safeguarding human rights through courts, implemented with financial support from the Government of Canada. 

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The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the Supreme Court of Ukraine organized on 10 June 2016 in Kyiv a joint roundtable discussion on protection of property in times of conflict, bringing together over 60 representatives of Ukrainian legislative and executive powers, leading judicial and law schools, as well as judges and international and local experts.

The participants discussed the guarantees of exercising the right to property and the mechanisms of its protection under special circumstances, such as armed conflict, occupation, annexation of territories and anti-terrorist operations. They identified mechanisms of protection, which would be efficient in terms of practical implementation and useful for judicial practice, and produced recommendations to keep up with international standards in this field.

The participants shared visions about international standards and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case law regarding the protection of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions, and reviewed the experience of other states which faced similar circumstances, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia and Moldova. They also discussed problems of the judicial settlement of disputes related to the protection of property rights of individuals and legal entities in the conflict zone.

The event is part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project on safeguarding human rights through courts, which is implemented with financial support from the Government of Canada. The project also addresses the problem of property rights protection through development and piloting specialized courses for judges on the application of the ECtHR case law in the context of Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights.

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Thirty experts were trained to deliver specialized training courses for judges on how to review corruption–related disputes and prevent corruption in the judiciary during a two-day session, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the National School of Judges on 5-6 July 2016 outside Kyiv.

The trainees, judges-lecturers of five regional branches of the School, enhanced their knowledge of anti-corruption legislation, including national regulations and relevant international conventions, major aspects of judges’ ethics, including the identification and prevention of real and potential conflicts of interest, and judicial review of corruption-related disputes. The purpose of the session was to create a pool of experts able to deliver training courses for their peers at the National School of Judges on a regular basis.

According to the Judicial Education Concept adopted by the School, the training methodology was based on interactive techniques and included discussions, case studies, mini-lectures, various exercises and role plays, and screenings of short simulation videos on the topic.

To ensure the sustainability of OSCE efforts, the training course on anti-corruption will be submitted for institutionalization at the National School of Judges by the end of the year. This course will form part of the School’s mandatory curriculum for every judge appointed to the post.

The training session was part of a project by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine to enhance the quality of judicial education and training.

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Twenty-five lecturers from law faculties at fifteen universities from around Ukraine, during a roundtable discussion supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 13 July 2016 in Kyiv, developed recommendations on teaching human rights within Master of Law university programmes.

The discussions focused on teaching the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), with international experts from the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law, the Union University and the ECtHR highlighting ways of ensuring a human rights-based approach to legal education.

Participants exchanged syllabi, research materials and teaching methodologies and agreed to set up a platform to further develop the human rights law curricula. This community of practice will function on a permanent basis with further support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and with the participation of leading Ukrainian law schools.

The roundtable discussion was held as part of the Second Annual Inter-University Human Rights School on 11-15 July 2016, which was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with the Lviv and Kyiv Universities.

The School was held as part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project on safeguarding Human Rights through the courts. The project is being implemented with the financial support of the Government of Canada, and follows on from the First Annual Inter-University School dedicated to the Right to Life held in 2015.

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The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the final in a series of three training sessions for 12 psychologists and professionals working with domestic violence victims. The session took place on 27 June 2016 in Rybnitsa, a town on the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River.

The event aimed to equip participants with essential skills in family counselling and post-traumatic stress rehabilitation. Participants studied means to identify family violence, various coaching techniques to use when working with families, as well as methods for handling trauma and post-traumatic stress among domestic violence victims.

In the past week, similar training events have been held in Chisinau and Tiraspol with the total participation of 50 professionals from Bender, Causeni, Chisinau, Comrat, Drochia, Rybnitsa and Tiraspol.

Participants in the training sessions included psychologists, teachers, medical professionals, lawyers and social workers, all of whom encounter cases of domestic violence in their work through Moldova’s referral system.

The training events were held as part of the Mission’s project to strengthen the capacity of those who provide crisis services to women and families on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. The project was developed following a country-wide assessment conducted in 2014 and 2015. The assessment identified a number of challenges in this field in Moldova, most notably the difficulties in accessing domestic violence services – including shelters and crisis centres – for those living in rural areas, and a lack of state resources. 

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OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 26 July 2016 – Some 25 athletes and sport trainers today discussed gender-based violence at an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion attended by a world amateur boxing champion (1986) and former member of parliament, Orzubek Nazarov.

At the event organized by the Ensan-Diamond NGO with support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, participants discussed how violent behaviour at training venues might impact social relationships further in life. Gender equality, gender-based stereotypes and promoting positive images of masculinity without resorting to violence, were among the main topics of the discussion.

“Preventing gender based-violence and promoting gender equality is at the centre of OSCE human rights commitments and comprehensive approach to security,” said Anete Erdmane, OSCE Human Dimension Officer at the Osh Field Office. “The initiative aims at supporting Kyrgyzstan in achieving positive change through dialogue and engagement with men.”

Jamilya Kaparova, director of Ensan-Diamond, said: “The nature of sports training and overall culture of masculinity can contribute to an increased aggression among athletes. Such behaviour can result in gender-based violence and negatively affect family and community members. To reach out to this important audience and promote positive role models, we have invited Mr. Nazarov who has been an outspoken advocate for gender equality.”

The roundtable discussion follows a similar event which also took place in Osh in November 2015.

The initiative was held in line with the OSCE’s efforts to assist Kyrgyzstan in implementing its National Action Plan for 2015-2017 on gender equality. The National Action Plan foresees developing a culture of aversion to gender discrimination and violence against women and men at all levels of society.

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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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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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The first activities of an action plan to create a more gender-sensitive national parliament in Montenegro were drafted during a workshop in Podgorica on 18-19 April 2016 organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in co-operation with the Parliamentary Committee for Gender Equality and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The event gathered 18 participants, including members of parliament and representatives of the parliamentary service, institutions and civil society, who, led by experts, drafted the first activities of the action plan. The plan covers six key areas: leadership and commitment, gender-balanced representation, gender-sensitive legislation and policy, parliamentary services and infrastructure, gender awareness in parliamentary culture, and parliament as a promoter of gender equality. Participants set the end of the year as the goal for finalizing and putting the plan up for adoption for the new convocation of the Parliament for the first quarter of 2017.

“The on-going gender mainstreaming of the Montenegrin Parliament is a significant step forward in translating our written pledges into actual reality,” said Dan Redford, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. “In particular, I am delighted to hear that the development of a roadmap and subsequent drafting of their action plan have been initiated by the parliament. This has to be the clearest indicator that its implementation has great chances of success and becoming ‘mainstream’ in the truest sense of the word.”

Nada Drobnjak, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Gender Equality highlighted the fact that the drafting of this important document and its subsequent adoption will make the Montenegrin Parliament a leader and pioneer in the region, and beyond.

In 2015, the Mission and ODIHR, in co-operation with the Committee for Gender Equality developed a roadmap towards a gender-sensitive parliament which served as the basis for the development of the action plan. The development and the adoption of the action plan is one of the measures initiated and included in the action plan for strengthening the legislative and oversight role of Montenegrin Parliament. 

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Application of modern forensic standards in the judiciary with a particular focus on treatment of evidence, forensic analytics and quality control, as well as DNA analysis and crime scene investigation were the focus of an OSCE-supported seminar on 3 June 2016 in Danilovgrad, Montenegro.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized the event together with the Judicial Training Centre (JTC) and the Forensic Centre (FC) of the Interior Ministry’s Police Directorate. 

Three eminent national forensic experts held lectures for 20 representatives of prosecutor’s offices and the judiciary on how to increase the efficiency of prosecutor-led investigations through the well-prepared execution of warrants for evidence. Particular emphasis was placed on the enhancement of direct communication between the forensic services of the police and prosecutors at the very beginning of an investigation.

The Director of the FC, Zoran Tomčić, underlined the necessity of improving the system of search warrants prepared by prosecutors: “The number of warrants for forensic evidence has to be reduced and prepared more effectively. In May of this year alone, the FC received 200 warrants for DNA analysis, requesting results within a disproportionate time. In some cases, warrants are not sufficiently detailed, so that the results provided by forensic expertise do not stand up as evidence at the court.”

Maša Adžić, Head of the Training Unit in the JTC, said: “Good co-operation in a criminal investigation, communication between police, prosecutors and judges and their timely and professional performance are of crucial importance for a positive outcome.”

Participants emphasized the need for continued training in the field of forensic evidence as well as an expansion of the content of lectures on DNA expertise to cover such topics as sampling, types of biological evidence, writing orders for expert DNA analysis and interpretation of results. They also requested the organization of a seminar on forensic expertise regarding explosions and fire.

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A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO.

Some 40 participants - representatives of the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry; the municipal authorities of Berane, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja; local public utility companies from Pljevlja and Kotor; and NGOs as well as citizens, attended the campaign launch.

“Composting household waste is just an element of broader waste management, one of the most current issues facing Montenegrin authorities in their efforts to bring the relevant policy, strategy and legislative frameworks in line with the international standards and requirements of the advancing integration processes,” said Programme Manager at the OSCE Mission Vladimir Ragozin.

President of the Municipality of Pljevlja Mirko Đačić said: “Our municipality is actively involved in enhancing the local environment, especially regarding air quality improvements.”

State Secretary at the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry Daliborka Pejović stated that the primary waste separation is unquestionable and the educational campaigns are crucial bearing in mind the State’s plan of 50-70% of waste to be primary separated d until 2020.

“The waste should be perceived as a resource that can be further used through development of recycling and composting industry,” said Director of Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO Ljilja Radunović. “It is recommended, under the EU Directive on Landfills, to consider the policy of the closure of landfills starting from 2020 because they proved to be unsustainable.” 

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An OSCE Programme Office in Astana-supported workshop on international best practices in irregular migration management and readmission procedures for 10 Internal Affairs Ministry and National Security Committee officials started on 6 June 2016 in Astana.

The three-day event was organized by the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Latvia’s State Border Guard. It focused on national legislation and best international practices in dealing with vulnerable groups of migrants passing through borders.

An Office-supported legal analysis of readmission policies was presented along with a draft bylaw to participants who brainstormed ways to further develop the legal and institutional framework. Participants also engaged in an in-depth discussion on readmission as well as countering trafficking of human beings. As a result of the discussions, the participants developed a set of recommendations on amendments to relevant national legislation in line with international best practices.

The workshop is a part of the OSCE Programme Office’s activities related to enhancing the host country’s border security and efficient labour migration management practices.

BISHKEK, 8 July 2016 – As part of the first phase of the two-day military Command-Staff Exercise ‘Barrier 2016’, representatives of the State Border Service (SBS), local authorities and civil society of Osh region focused on border security and management problems during a roundtable discussion and video-conference supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

The discussions, held at the SBS headquarters, aimed to promote co-operation between the military, law enforcement agencies and civil society and improve the existing mechanisms of co-ordination. Participants were able to directly ask border management-related questions to the deputies of Jogorku Kenesh (the parliament), government officials and SBS representatives.

Head of the SBS Colonel Abdikarim Alimbaev detailed the complex measures taken by the Service to strengthen the Kyrgyz-Uzbek and Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas, such as improving the infrastructure of border units and setting additional border barriers and posts. “Through improved relations with neighbouring countries, the strengthening of border security and management will ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State and in this way safeguard peace and stability in the specific border areas and in the broader Central Asian region,” he said.

Daniele Rumolo, acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek highlighted the crucial significance of border security for Kyrgyzstan: “Effective counter-efforts to the current challenges remain the most relevant strategic priority for continuous co-operation and also an important aspect of OSCE activities in the framework of transnational threats. The OSCE Centre in Bishkek greatly values its engagement and interaction with the Kyrgyz Government and the SBS, and expresses its readiness to further develop the co-operation in this field.”

Vice Prime-Minister on border issues Jenish Razakov stressed the importance of co-operation between security and law enforcement agencies and local governments, stating that in their absence it would be impossible to resolve border crises. He also noted that in the past two years such joint exercises to enhance the combat readiness of units have demonstrated positive results.

On 8 July, following the roundtable discussion and video-conference in Bishkek, the practical phase of the ‘Barrier 2016’ simulation exercise took place in Osh with the participation of the Special Forces Unit, the SBS, Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Command-Staff Exercise ‘Barrier 2016’ was held jointly by the SBS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek as part of the Centre’s project to enhance the ability of the Kyrgyz Government to engage in regional co-operation on border security and management. 

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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“Inter-cultural dialogue should not only lead to a deeper understanding of the other, but also include conflict prevention and de-escalation, combating prejudices and stereotypes in the public and political discourse,” Ambassador Alexis Chahtahtinsky, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku, said in his remarks at the Third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogues that took place in Baku on 18-19 May 2015.

Ambassador Chahtahtinsky spoke at the plenary session titled Sharing Culture for Sharing Security which was devoted to the responsibility of international institutions and governments in building trust and understanding between cultures and civilizations and shaping common global agenda.

The rise of anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, often associated with violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism, as well as the rise of xenophobia, islamophobia and of the far right have a destructive potential for many societies in the OSCE area, Ambassador Chahtahtinsky said.

The Project Co-ordinator believes that international organizations need to join efforts in supporting voices of moderation, promoting dialogue and restoring trust. “One of the ways of doing is through participation in fora like this one, and I want to commend the Government of Azerbaijan for taking this initiative,” he said.

In conclusion, Ambassador Chahtahtinsky stated that the OSCE, with its comprehensive approach to security and co-operation, is uniquely equipped to address these challenges, and can provide a platform for participating states to learn from each other’s experience.

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ISSYK-KUL, Kyrgyzstan, 8 July 2016 – A five-day training course supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on a risk-oriented approach in supervising activities related to anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism concluded today in Bosteri village, in the Issyk-Kul region.

The aim of the workshop, which was organized by the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (SFIS) in partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was to update the relevant State agencies and financial institutions on the practical aspects of a risks-oriented approach in their work. Some 46 officials from law enforcement agencies, supervisory agencies and financial institutions took part.

“A risks-oriented approach is the process which allows the countries to identify, assess and understand risks to effectively combat money laundering and financing of terrorism,” said Nana Baramidze, Senior Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Centre. “The OSCE Centre in Bishkek fully supports the efforts of the Kyrgyz Government in its attempt to establish effective systems to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”

Chyngyz Kenenbayev, Head of the Organizational and Legal department of the SFIS, said: “We are holding this educational seminar to train representatives of national authorities and the private sector so that we can successfully pass the second round of the evaluation by the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG). In order to fulfil international obligations under the EAG, the Kyrgyz Republic is to conduct a mutual assessment of its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism system. From 28 November to 9 December 2016, a visiting mission of EAG evaluators will conduct this assessment within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) initiative."

The training course, which was conducted by two IMF experts and three SFIS officials, was part of the OSCE assistance to the Kyrgyz Government in preparing for the second round of the FATF evaluation.

BISHKEK, 12 July 2016 – A two-day training course on effective investigation of cases of torture conducted by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek in co-operation with the General Prosecutor’s Office and its Prosecutors’ Training Centre ended today in the Kyrgyz capital.

Twenty-four public prosecution officers from Chui, Issyk-Kul, Jalalabad, Talas and Osh provinces had a chance to enhance their knowledge of the notion of “torture” as a criminal offence and the criteria for efficient investigation of torture allegations. The participants also received a comprehensive insight into the mechanisms of prevention of gender-based violence and the specifics of victim assistance.

“According to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, human rights and fundamental freedoms have supreme value. No one may be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In this regard, prevention of torture and effective investigation of torture allegations represent one of the key priorities in the work of the prosecutorial bodies,” said Damira Kaimova, Director of the Prosecutors’ Training Centre under the General Prosecutor’s Office.

The training elicited a vigorous debate among the participants on the challenges arising during investigation of torture allegations. The attendees also exchanged best practices applied within their respective duty stations to address these challenges.

The training course is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on promoting a comprehensive approach to the rule of law, administration of justice, prevention of torture and capacity building.         

BISHKEK, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Regional Office for Central Asia of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR ROCA) completed a training course in Bishkek today for 35 advisors and experts of the Kyrgyz parliament on promoting human rights in the legislative process.

The two-day training course aimed at enhancing the knowledge of parliamentarians on human rights principles.

National and international experts shared their know-how with participants on the international human rights standards, and the United Nations Human Rights Treaty System and its mechanisms. They also discussed the role of parliamentarians in promoting and protecting human rights, the principles of equality and non-discrimination as well as the relations between the state and other actors.

“Today’s training course is an important step towards ensuring that new laws will be drafted in compliance with these principles for the continuous democratic development of Kyrgyzstan,” said Daniele Rumolo, Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Following the successful organization of parliamentary elections in October 2015, it is necessary that Kyrgyz authorities continue to meet their obligations and implement the relevant OSCE commitments on human rights.”

Ryszard Komenda, OHCHR ROCA Regional Representative, said: “It is critical that advisors and experts working closely with members of the parliament are fully versed in and committed to international and national human rights standards in order to propose and adopt legislation that is in full compliance with them. This training course represents one way in which OHCHR supports Kyrgyzstan to protect and promote human rights.”

The training course is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on strengthening democratic governance in Kyrgyzstan.

BISHKEK, 22 July 2016 – Three public discussions on the regulatory legal acts regarding the use of natural resources and environmental protection are being organized from 19 July to 27 July 2016 by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the local Aarhus Centre in the districts of Toktogul, Aksy and Kadamjay in southern Kyrgyzstan.

The discussions are gathering representatives of environmental services, the local authorities, village- and district-level state administrations, local council deputies and public organizations, to exchange ideas on environmental problems and discuss how to address them through active public scrutiny.

“Local stakeholders should be aware of the environmental legislation upfront. This will help them to prevent conflict arising from the use of natural resources,” said Dmitry Prudtskikh, Environmental Officer at the OSCE Centre. “I am glad to see that the Aarhus Centre in Osh has established a platform for communication between governmental, public and private structures, with the support of the OSCE.”

Kanybek Isabaev, Director of the Aarhus Centre in Osh, said: “For several years, we have been disseminating information to the public and our partners on the legislation regarding environmental protection, the rational use of natural resources, and subsoil and environmental safety in our country. It is very significant that citizens can participate in decision-making in the area of ecology, a sphere that is becoming increasingly important in Kyrgyzstan.”

During the discussions, participants will gain knowledge on issues of environmental protection, public access to environmental information, the normative legal acts of the Kyrgyz Republic on ecology and the basic principles of the Aarhus Convention.

The event was organized as part of the OSCE Centre's project on promoting environmental security through dialogue and enhanced disaster risk reduction.