From L-R: Ms LI Yi, First Secretary, Department of International Organisations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC; Ms Iulia LUMINA, Project Officer, ASEF Governance & Economy Department; Mr Achsanul HABIB, Director of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia; Ambassador CHEN Shiqiu from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC; Mr Rolf RING, Deputy Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute; Ambassador Anita NERGAARD, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore; Mr Espen RIKTER-SVENDSEN, Special Adviser, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Section for East Asia & Oceania; Ambassador Karsten WARNECKE, ASEF’s Executive Director; Ms Sandra LENDENMANN, Head- Office of Human Rights Policy, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; Mr Gonaranao B MUSOR, First Secretary and Consul, Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore; Armi Hannele AARNI, Project Manager, ASEF Governance & Economy Department and Mr SUN Xiangyang, ASEF Deputy Executive Director.
On 15 February 2019, the Steering Committee of the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights Series met at the ASEF premises in Singapore. The biannual meeting sought to clarify and discuss the preparations for the 19th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights (#ASEM19HRS). Besides the representatives of the Steering Committee of the #ASEM19HRS the meeting hosted Ambassador Anita NERGAARD representing the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore and Mr Espen RIKTER-SVENDSEN from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Committee confirmed that the 19th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights will take place from 4 to 6 November in Tromsø, Norway. The northern Norwegian city also known as the “Gateway to the Arctic” is one of Norway’s cultural hubs and prominent for its beautiful nocturnal Northern Lights that can be observed throughout the winter season. The #ASEM19HRS will focus on Human Rights Education and the promotion of knowledge, values, and principles of human rights to empower people across Asia and Europe.
ASEF would like to thank the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their close collaboration and their eagerness to host the 19th Informal Seminar on Human Rights. We are looking forward to organising the upcoming project with you.