By the way of the European Year of the Intercultural Dialogue and at the occasion of the special session of its Bureau, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Economic and Social Council of Slovenia organise a seminar with the title "organised civil society as an engine for Intercultural Dialogue" on 17th June 2008 in Portoroz.

The conference will be opened by Mr. Milan Škapin, President of the Slovenian ESC and Mr. Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee. Former EESC President Ms Anne-Marie Sigmund, will animate a discussion panel "Intercultural Dialogue: New Challenges - New Responsibilities for European civil society" with the participation of Stanko Baluh, Director of the Government Office for National Minorities in Ljubljana, Vitor Melicias, Ordo Fratrum Minorum, Portugal, Andrzej Mirga, Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues at the ODIHR OSCE in Warsaw and Lojze Wieser, Publisher, Austria.

Ms Ágnes Cser is the rapporteur of the EESC opinion on Intercultural Dialogue and will present the opinion at the conference. Its general objectives are to promote intercultural dialogue as an instrument enabling European citizens and all those living permanently or temporarily in the European Union to obtain knowledge, qualifications and aptitudes which can help them to adapt to a more open but also more complex environment and to raise the awareness of the importance of developing active European citizenship which is open to the world and respectful of cultural diversity.

The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue throughout 2008 will help raise the awareness of all those living in the EU, especially young people, of the importance of engaging in intercultural dialogue in their daily lives and of becoming active European citizens.

What is the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)?

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was founded in 1957 under the Treaty of Rome. Principally it is an advisory body representing employers, trade unions, farmers, consumers and the other interest groups that collectively make up ‘organised civil society’. It presents their views and defends their interests in policy discussions with the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. So the EESC is a bridge between the Union and its citizens, promoting a more participatory, more inclusive and therefore more democratic society in Europe.