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Welcome to AI Swedish Section´s Human Rights Conference and Annual General Meeting in Stockholm! This year's AGM, taking place between 7 - 9 May 1999, will begin with a human rights conference that will be open both to the general public and to members of Amnesty International. The conference will begin with an address about the situation in Kosovo today. Several other AI sections will be represented at this year's AGM, among them the Philippines, Paraguay, and Poland. Our guests from the Standing Committee on Mandate (SCM) will also represent their respective countries, Canada and Japan. Colm O'Cuanacháin, who has closely followed the development in the Swedish Section during the past year, will be representing the International Executive Committee (IEC). On Friday evening there will be a seminar about the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the question of impunity. ICM resolutions relevant to these topics will be discussed. This seminar will be hosted by a member of the Swedish Board and Mr David Matas of the SCM. Before the AGM per se starts on Saturday afternoon, the mandate and its development over the past few years, as well as its possible development in the future, will be debated. The Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) will be the other topic of the day. Before the discussions begin, speeches will be given by the two members of the SCM, Mr David Matas and Mr Tokio Sugita. A member of the Swedish Board will present the Swedish Section´s comments on the mandate review and the ISP. On Saturday evening, there will be seminars about the development of the mandate, in which our guests from SCM will participate, and about human rights defenders, hosted by another member of the Swedish Board together with Mrs Rose-Marie Asker of the Swedish NGO Foundation for Human Rights. ICM resolutions relevant to these topics will also be discussed. On Sunday afternoon, closing the AGM, Mr Pierre Espérance of the National Coalition for Haïtian Rights will give a speech on his work for human rights in Haïti. Thanks to the Swedish Amnesty Fund, he is at present in Sweden receiving medical care for injuries resulting from an attempt on his life. We are looking forward to seeing you in Stockholm, and hope that you will find your stay with us a rewarding one!
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