Sakharov Prize Shortlist; Debate on Belarus; ECR Eurolat Iberosphere Summit, Madrid; Freedom of Religion in Turkey. A focus on Christian minorities

Sakharov Prize Shortlist

On Thursday, the joint Committees on Foreign Affairs and Development will vote to create a shortlist of three candidates for the 2022 Sakharov Prize of Freedom of Thought. The ECR Group has nominated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the face of Ukraine’s resistance to brutal Russian aggression. The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament will select the winner on 20 October.

When: Thursday @ 9:00

Where: PHS 3C50

Debate on Belarus

On Thursday, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold an exchange of views with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the democratic forces of Belarus, to discuss the current situation in the country against the backdrop of Russian aggression in Ukraine. The ECR Group is of the opinion that in order to bring peace to Europe and end Russian oppression, the Belarusian people, like Ukraine, must be liberated from Russia’s post-Soviet sphere of influence and from the grip of illegitimate president and partner in crime of Vladimir Putin, Alexandr Lukashenka.

When: Thursday @ 10:30

Where: PHS 3C50

ECR Eurolat Iberosphere Summit, Madrid

For the second consecutive year, the ECR Eurolat Working Group will hold a transatlantic meeting promoting the defence of democracy against attacks from new forms of totalitarianism and dictatorship in the Iberosphere. The aim is to continue building a great Euro-Iberoamerican alliance of democratic forces that defend freedom and the values of Western civilization in both Europe and Iberoamerica.

When: Monday 16:00-20:00 & Tuesday 9:00-20:00

Where: Eurostar Madrid Tower, the event will be live-streamed on the ECR Group’s YouTube channel: Day 1 & Day 2

More information is available here.

Freedom of Religion in Turkey. A focus on Christian minorities

ECR MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen, together with ADF International, will host a debate on the situation of Christians in Turkey who face discrimination and suppression by the Islamic-nationalist government. The number of Christians in Turkey has diminished from 20 to 0.2 per cent of the population in the last 100 years. What are the prospects of these remaining Christians? What could the EU do for the freedom of belief in the country? Panellists include Georgia du Plessis PhD (Belgium, legal officer ADF International), Rev Konstantinos Kenanidis PhD (Belgium, member of the College of Governance of EMUNA – an international interfaith educational formation program), Hayk Martirosyan PhD (Germany, researcher at the Lepsiushaus Potsdam) and Mark Smith (UK, lead a Turkish-speaking Evangelical church). Remote or physical participation is possible after registration by email: bert-jan.ruissen@ep.europa.eu

When: Wednesday @ 14:00 - 15:30

Where: ASP 1G2