An opening of the EU Seminar on Human Rights that gathered together representatives of more than 70 well-known public organizations of Kazakhstan, international experts, government officials was held in Almaty on Wednesday.
Mrs Madina Dzharbussynova, Ambassador-at-large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Mr Norbert Jousten, Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Kazakhstan, addressed the audience with welcoming speeches, Kazinform reported.
"The European Union firmly believes that the commitment to human rights ideals facilitates the establishment of the rule-of-law, develops responsible state governance, ensures the transparency of democratic political processes," said Mr Ambassador. "And we hope that this seminar will create a fruitful discussion platform for the participants."
The Human Rights Seminar is one of the instruments for the EU-Kazakhstan cooperation in the area of human rights and freedom protection. Since 2008, such seminars for civil society have become an integral part of the regular meetings in the framework of the EU-Kazakhstan Human Rights Dialogue. In the year of Kazakhstan's 20-year anniversary this Seminar is aimed at discussing the issues of an effective interaction between the state and civil society in the area of social, civil, political and economic rights, with a particular focus on the freedom of mass media and rights of the people with disabilities. Recommendations and wishes developed by the participants in the course of this Seminar will make a meaningful contribution to the preparation and holding of the upcoming Human Rights Dialogue, the press service of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan reports.
A close partnership and friendly relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union started right after Kazakhstan gained its independence, and the issues of promoting democratic values lie in the foundation of their bilateral relations on a parity basis with trade and economic relations. Every year, the European Union allocates about one million euros (1 ml EUR) to support and develop democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan.