On Friday, November 29, 2013, the Canadian Centre for the Responsibility to Protect was invited to speak at a conference organized by the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia in collaboration with the Barcelona City Council.
Entitled “Effective implementation of the Responsibility to Protect: The Role of the European Union and the Civil Society,” this conference brought together experts from the civil society, the European parliament, and the general public. Mr. William Pace, Executive Director of the World Federalist Movement- Institute for Global Policy, delivered a keynote address on the origins and principles of R2P, followed by a panel discussion on “Strengthening the R2P within the European Union” and another panel discussion on “Engaging civil society in R2P.” The first panel featured Ms. Maria Badia (Member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats of the European Parliament) and Ms. Joelle Jenny (Director for Security Policy and Conflict Prevention at the European External Action Service).
The second panel featured Ms. Tina Park (CCR2P), Mr. Esteban Beltran (Director of Amnesty International in Spain), Ms. Alena Beutler (Deputy Director of Genocide Alert in Germany), and Mr. Josep Xercavins (Member of the World Democratic Governance Project Association). The panellists shared their own experience in promoting R2P through civil society networks in their respective region. About a hundred attendees gathered at this conference and many of them participated in the open discussion with the panelists.
The CCR2P’s presentation featured various efforts undertaken by the Centre to promote research and advocacy on the R2P principle. In the 2013-2014 school year, the CCR2P’s research division will focus on the Syria Watch (U of T), parliamentary reports (U of T), Syria and humanitarian aid (MGA-Mun), Prevention & use of technology (Carleton University), as well as renovating the R2Plive.org database. (Please click here for the link to our research portfolio). The CCR2P will also be launching a nation-wide campaign to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide in Spring 2014. (Please click here for the latest concept note on the campaign). Anyone interested in joining the CCR2P Scholars Network or research/advocacy efforts will be welcome at .
