21st ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF ASSOCIATION OF ELECTION OFFICIALS OF EUROPE (ACEEEO) IN SARAJEVO
Sarajevo, September 14, 2012 – Three-day 21st Annual Conference of the Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO) is being held in Sarajevo. The Conference is attended by around 140 participants from 30 states. Actual president of the ACEEEO is Mrs. Irena Hadziabdic, member of the BiH Central Election Commission.
“Participation of vulnerable groups (minorities and persons with disabilities) in the electoral process” is the topic of this year’s conference.
Today, after the meeting of ACEEEO General Assembly, two separate plenary sessions were held, one was on “Participation of persons with disabilities in electoral process” and second was “Participation of national minorities in electoral process”. Keynote speakers were renowned electoral authorities as Mr. Oliver Kask, judge of the Venice Commission, dr. Beata Martin-Rozumilowic, Head of the Elections Department, OSCE/ODIHR, Mrs. Virginia Atkinson, inclusion program expter, International Foundation for electoral systems (IFES), Mr. Rodolfo Cattani, Secretary General of the European Disability Forum (EFD) as representative of International Disability Alliance (IDA) and others.
The Conference was preceded by the meeting of the Working group for establishment of the World Association of electoral bodies (A-WEB). We would like to point out that this meeting resulted in globally important conclusions. Namely, the role, membership and financing of the future World Association of electoral bodies (A-WEB) were agreed. The election commission of South Korea, which initiated establishment of the association, will act as Secretariat of the A-WEB until the first meeting of the General Assembly of Association. Association will recognize the newest trends, challenges and progress in democratic electoral management and other related processes, and promote exchange of experience and professional knowledge amongst its members, aimed at strengthening electoral democracy in the world and cooperation between electoral bodies of the entire world.