International Gathering Happening in Reykjavik Today: PACE Event Underway
Get the Latest on PACE's Meeting in Iceland
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is holding a meeting today at Reykjavik's Harpa Concert Hall. Over 60 assembly members from 46 countries will be in attendance.
The speaker of Iceland's government, Birgir Ármannsson, is expected to give a welcoming address. The Icelandic government, under Birgir's leadership, is hosting this event. An opening address kicks off the proceedings, followed by an exchange of views with Iceland's Foreign Minister Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, in line with Iceland's role as Committee of Ministers' presiding country.
Front and Center: Digital Violence Against Women
Today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and PACE has organized a special event on "Digital violence against women." Participants include Iceland's Prime Minister and Equality Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, National Commissioner of Police lawyer and GREVIO member María Rún Bjarnadóttir, and the head of the Sexual Offences Investigation Division Ævar Pálmi Pálmason.
The Russian-Ukraine Conflict: A Parliamentary Debate
The meeting will feature a current affairs debate by the parliamentarians focusing on "Escalation in the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine." The parliamentarians are also expected to adopt a statement on the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, set to be held in Reykjavik on May 16-17, 2023.
PACE's Role: Protecting Democracy and More
The meeting will also cover the role of the Council of Europe as a crucial part of the European political architecture. Other topics include protecting democracy during health crises, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on civil society space and the prison population, securing safe medical supply chains, the evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Jordan, and the observation of early parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Bulgaria.
Catch the Meeting Live
You can watch a live webcast from the event here.
While there's no published, detailed agenda for a PACE Standing Committee meeting focusing specifically on digital violence against women, the war in Ukraine, the Council of Europe's role, and related topics, you can stay tuned to the PACE website for the latest updates. Happy tuning in!
- In the meeting at Reykjavik's Harpa Concert Hall, PACE has scheduled a discussion on "Digital violence against women," which coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 2023.
- Apart from the digital violence topic, the meeting will address the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict through a parliamentary debate, seeking to adopt a statement for the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, scheduled for May 16-17, 2023.
- The Council of Europe's role within the European political architecture will be a focus in the meeting, alongside discussions about protecting democracy during health crises, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on civil society space and the prison population, securing safe medical supply chains, and the evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Jordan.
- An essential piece of policy-and-legislation news that may emerge from this meeting is the observation of early parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Bulgaria.
- For those who would like to keep up with the latest news on PACE's meeting in Iceland, stay tuned to general-news coverage, and join the live webcast from the event to catch the stories as they unfold.
