VIENNA, 7 November 2012 – Representatives from the 56 OSCE participating States, civil society and international organizations will meet in Vienna tomorrow for a two-day conference on how the full implementation of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association can be protected and advanced to promote an inclusive and diverse democratic society.

The meeting, organized jointly by the Irish 2012 OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), will identify challenges faced by OSCE participating States and discuss how they can be addressed effectively ensuring the full enjoyment of these freedoms in line with OSCE commitments.

The keynote speaker at the meeting will be Maina Kiai, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Assembly and Association.

Ambassador Eoin O'Leary, the Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council and Ireland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE on behalf of the Irish 2012 Chairmanship, and Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the ODIHR Director, will make opening remarks.

Journalists are invited to attend the opening session of the conference from 15:00 to 16:00 on 8 November, 2012 in the Neuer Saal of the Hofburg Congress Centre.