WORLD AND EUROPEAN ELECTION OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO
Sarajevo, September 10, 2012 – The 21. Annual Conference of Association of Election Officials of Europe (ACEEEO) will be held in Sarajevo in the period September 13-15, 2012. The Conference will gather around 140 participants from 30 countries, while we need to note that the actual president of the ACEEEO is Mrs. Irena Hadziabdic, member of the BiH CEC.
ACEEEO is an organization supporting institutionalization and professionalization of democratic procedures in the region, and as a non-profit, regional organization it is completely independent from political parties or governments. Its legal position is founded on international law.
“Participation of vulnerable groups (minorities and persons with disabilities) in election process” is the topic of this year’s conference, which will besides representatives of state election commissions from Europe be discussed by Mr. Rodolfo Cattani, Secretary General of the European Disability Forum (EDF), as representatives of International Disability Alliance (IDA), Mr. Bill Sweeney, CEO of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), prof. Šaćir Filandra, dean of the Faculty of political sciences of Sarajevo, Mr. Oliver Kask, Venice Commission’s judge and dr Beata Martin-Rozumilowic, Head of the Elections Department, OSCE/ ODIHR.
Special place at the conference will have the exhibitions and presentations of the vendors of election equipment.
The conference will be preceded by the meeting of the Working Group for establishing World Association of Election Bodies (A-WEB). Establishment of the A-WEB is an initiative of the Election Commission of South Korea. The Working group consists of representatives of Association of election officials of Europe (ACEEEO), International institute for democratization and electoral assistance (IDEA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Inter-American Union of electoral organizations (UNIORE) and other regional associations and organizations.