The International Conference Environment and Human Rights: Public Participation in Environmental Matters - Theory and Practice, prepared by the Human Rights Ombudsman, took place at the Congress Center in Brdo pri Kranju on 19 May 2010.

Initial speakers:

• dr. Danilo Türk, President of the Republic of Slovenia,
• dr. Zdenka Čebašek Travnik, Ombudsman,
• dr. Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for the Environment of the European Commission (video recording of the address) and
• dr. Roko Žarnić, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning.

Deaf and hard of hearing children from the Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ljubljana set up an exhibition in the lobby of the conference hall, accompanied by the Human Rights Ombudsman dr. Zdenke Čebašek - Travnik. The exibition was also seen by the President of the Republic of Slovenia dr. Danilo Türk, who talked to the children.

The purpose of the meeting of renowned Slovene and international experts was to find out possible differences between the regulation of the Aarhus Convention, national environmental regulations and practical experiences in everyday life. Through lectures, debates and workshops, they tried to find solutions to eliminate those distinctions, if there are any.

Proposals for improving public participation in environmental matters were also sent via e-mail info@varuh-rs.si, from 20 to 25 May 2010.

Conclusions were published in the miscellany, which was presented on August 3, 2010. It's accessible here.
Bellow there are sound snaps. Some of them are in english, other in Slovene.

Speeches and contributions (only in Slovene)

SOUND SNAPS (MP3) OF ALL PARTICIPANTS ON THE CONFERENCE:

Initial speakers - IN SLOVENE

Prvi sklop

Vukašin Lončarević, Legal Expert, European Ombudsman - IN SLOVENE

Sándor Fülöp, parliamentary ombudsman for future generations, Hungary - IN ENGLISH

Mag. Ute Pöllinger, environmental advocate of the federal state of Styria, Austria - IN ENGLISH

Drugi sklop

Dr. Jerzy Jendrośka, Administrative partner and associate professor, Opole University and Committee for the fulfillment of the Aarhus Convention - IN ENGLISH

Mag. Kornelija Marzel, deputy ombudsman, Slovenia - IN SLOVENE

Kristina Kotnik Šumah, Deputy Information Commissioner - IN SLOVENE

Mag. Adrijana Viler Kovačič, Adviser to the Director General of the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia - IN SLOVENE

Boštjan Pihler, Eko Krog - IN SLOVENE

Disscussion after the first and second set of presentations - IN SLOVENE

Tretji sklop

Brigita Čanč in Živa Bobič Červek, Office for Communal, Transport, Environment and Spatial Planning, Department for Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation of the Municipality of Maribor - IN SLOVENE

Boris Šuštar, Civil initiative Celje - IN SLOVENE

Dr. Samo Kopač, v. d. Director General of the Directorate for the Environment, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning - IN SLOVENE

Mag. Matjaž Jeran, Coalition for TNP - IN SLOVENE

Mag. Aleš Kregar, sektor za prenosno omrežje, Elektro - Slovenija - IN SLOVENE

Discussion after the third set of presentations - IN SLOVENE

Other suggestions for improving public participation in environmental matters (submitted to info@varuh-rs.si between 20 and 25 May 2010)

The texts are in Word format and only in Slovene.

• Prof. dr. Ana Vovk Korže, Nina Globovnik in Mojca Kokot, Mednarodni center za ekoremediacije, Filozofska fakulteta Univerze v Mariboru
• Helena Pavlič, dipl.san.inž., Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Ravne na Koroškem, Oddelek za promocijo zdravja in razvojna enota: program Epidemiologija okolja
  
• Marija Dreu
• Marina T. Ravnik
• Vido Kregar, predsednik Jamarske zveze Slovenije