Date: 19 November 2015, Thursday

Venue: İstanbul Bilgi University Dolapdere Campus, Cinema Hall

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided throughout the meeting.

Programme

10:00-10:15   Opening Remarks by:    

• Prof. Turgut Tarhanlı, Director, İstanbul Bilgi University Human Rights Law Research Center
• Dr. Kishan Manocha, Senior Adviser on Freedom of Religion and Belief, OSCE/ODIHR
• Mr. Gunnar-Ekelove Slydal, Associate Secretary General, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee

10:15- 10:40   The Emerging Consensus on the Right to Acquire Legal Personality of Religious or Belief Communities in International Law

• Prof. Cole Durham, Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Brigham Young University Law School, United States

10:40-12:30   Panel Discussion on the OSCE/ODIHR-Venice Commission Guidelines on the Legal Personality of Religious of Belief Communities: Development, promotion and implementation, followed by a Questions and Answers Session

Moderator:

• Professor Bülent Şenay, Uludağ University, a member of the OSCE/ODIHR Advi-sory Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief 

Speakers:

The Development of the Guidelines and General Principles

• Ms Dilnoza Satarova, Associate Officer on Freedom of Religion or Belief, OSCE/ODIHR

The Legal Status of the Guidelines and Their Content

• Prof. Ergun Özbudun, İstanbul Şehir University & Former Member of the Venice Commission, Council of Europe 

The Issue of Legal Status of Religious or Belief Communities in Turkey

• Dr Mine Yıldırım, Norwegian Helsinki Committee Freedom of Belief Initiative Project

Difficulties and Opportunities in Practice

• Ms. Hülya Benlisoy, Lawyer for the Ecumenical  Patriarchate