The DAAD Alumni Club of Montenegro is hosting the conference Justice in the Balkans: Equality for Sexual Minorities in Podgorica 23-25 October 2009. The European Commission on Sexual Oriention Law (ECSOL) gladly serves as a partner to this outstanding event in a very sensitive region. Ministers and representatives of Balkan governments, lawyers, academics and activists from Europe and North America will be present. Register now!

We will share strategies for bringing about legal and social change in the Balkans, discuss the experiences of other countries, and discuss the impact and context of European integration for these countries as they grapple with these challenges.

Human rights in the Balkan countries are not fully enjoyed, in part because they run counter to the legal, social and religious traditions of those countries. Individual rights and freedom of choice, including sexual and reproductive rights, are compromised or even negated. States, as the responsible bodies for protecting human rights, have not adequately fulfilled their obligations to civil society and to the general population within their boundaries. The full acknowledgement of human rights and the protection of the sexual freedom of all residents, including the LGBT population, should be organized along the lines of the contemporary standards of international and European human rights.

The DAAD Alumni Club of Montenegro is hosting a conference to address these issues – Justice in the Balkans: Equality for Sexual Minorities. Ministers and representatives of Balkan governments, lawyers, academics and activists from Europe and North America will be present. We will share strategies for bringing about legal and social change in the Balkans, discuss the experiences of other countries, and discuss the impact and context of European integration for these countries as they grapple with these challenges.

I invite you to join us in Podgorica, Montenegro from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25 (inclusive), 2009, to participate in this important conference. Although there is no fee for attending the conference, you must cover your own travel, accommodation and meals costs, and provide your own health and travel insurance coverage. See below the conference programme for your perusal. Also, find below Podgorica destination guide you could estimate your possible costs.

Human rights are for all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights and to live free of discrimination. Your support will enable us to expand our work throughout the Balkans, will contribute to a better understanding and awareness of the problems we are addressing, and lead to an increase in tolerance and acceptance in these societies. Pre-registration (via the form below) is required, and attendance is limited. After your pre-registration form is received, a confirmation form will be e-mailed to you within 3 bussines days. Please, bring a copy of our confirmation with you to the Registration Desk when you first arrive at the Conference to pick up your accreditation and conference material. Confirmation letters will be only e-mailed to you: providing a valid email address will ensure a response to your registration. DAAD Alumni Club Montenegro does not trade or sell email addresses; they are kept confidential. Please, note: the organizer reserve the right to accept or refuse any pre-registration without giving any reason whatsover.

Please, e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. your pre-registration no later than October 16, 2009 (until 5PM European time). If any required blank space in the pre-registration form is left unfilled or any question is left unanswered the pre-registration will not be considered.

With warmest regards, Dr. iur. Jovan Kojicic, Conference Chair President, DAAD Alumni Klub Montenegro Jovana Tomaševica Strasse bb 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DAAD Alumni MNE - ESM Brochure | Adobe Acrobat | 1,2 MB
Podgorica Destination Guide for Conference Participants | Adobe Acrobat | 210 KB
Programme | Adobe Acrobat | 411 KB
Message to the participants | Adobe Acrobat | 1,41 MB
Pre-Registration Form | Word | 35 KB
ESM Photo AlbumESM Photo Album | Adobe Acrobat | 3,1 MB
The Declaration of Podgorica | Adobe Acrobat | 79 KB