COPENHAGEN, 25 May 2017 – More than 20 OSCE parliamentarians from 13 countries are expected to attend a retreat being hosted by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) in Villach, Austria, next week focusing on ways to improve public support for national minorities in areas such as education, culture, and language.

Journalists are invited to attend a press conference with President Muttonen and the Governor of Carinthia, Peter Kaiser, at 10:00 Monday morning at the Congress Center Villach. Muttonen and Kaiser will talk about the topics on the agenda of the Villach retreat, and will discuss in particular the local relevance of national minorities’ issues.

WHO: Christine MUTTONEN, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President and Member of Parliament representing Villach constituency, and Peter KAISER, Governor of Carinthia
WHAT: Press conference at the opening of two-day international conference on national minorities
WHERE: Congress Center Villach, Europapl. 1, 9500 Villach, Austria
WHEN: Monday, 29 May, 10:00 AM

The OSCE PA retreat on national minorities on 29-30 May will facilitate the sharing of best practices focusing on the potential contribution of parliaments to promote adequate structures and a supportive environment for national minorities and how a region itself can profit from positive development.

In addition to nearly two dozen members of parliament from across the OSCE region, the retreat will include the participation of several high-ranking diplomats such as Henrik Villadsen, Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner of National Minorities, and Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

With 57 participating States in North America, Europe and Asia, the OSCE – the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – is the world’s largest regional security organization. The OSCE works for stability, peace and democracy for more than a billion people, through political dialogue about shared values and through practical work that aims to make a lasting difference.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from the 57 countries of the OSCE. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.