Professor Delia Ferri presented at the ‘UN World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna 1993 – Strengthening Imperatives 30 Years After’ on Friday, 29 September 2023 in Vienna, Austria.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, the University of Vienna, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs alongside other partners organised and hosted the three day event from Wednesday, 27 September to Friday, 29 September 2023.
The Vienna Declaration and Programme for Action formed an important milestone in the protection and promotion of human rights by reaffirming the universality of human rights and human rights as a primary goal of the United Nations (UN) which led, among other developments, to the creation of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights currently headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
This international expert conference aimed to analyse, understand and build on human rights developments since the World Conference on Human Rights as well as address current and future challenges of international human rights protection. It included several experts and distinguished speakers, such as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Fernand de Varennes. Prominent academics speaking at event included, amongst others, Professor Helle Porsdam (University of Copenhagen), Professor Andreas Zimmermann (Centre for Human Rights, University of Potsdam) and Professor Manfred Nowak (Global Campus of Human Rights, Venice).
Professor Ferri presented on the European Union’s (EU) human rights performance by examining equality and disability in EU law. Her presentation formed part of a wider panel on ‘Human Rights Protection within the EU – The EU’s Role’ organised by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
Delia Ferri is Professor of Law in the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University and Co-Director of the Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute. In June 2023 she was appointed to the Scientific Committee of the FRA, with a mandate until June 2028.