26/01/2010
The European Parlament and the European Union Council have designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The objetive is to transmit to the European society the commitment of the EU with the citizens living under poverty and social exclusion and analyse their problems and foster their participation in the prevention of poverty and social exclusion.
The European Parlament and the European Union Council have designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The objetive is to transmit to the European society the committment of the EU with the citizens living under poverty and social exclusion and analyse their problems and foster their participation in the prevention of poverty and social exclusion.
The principles which lead its celebration are the recognition of the right to live with dignity and to have an active role in the society; insist in sharing responsabilities to guarantee colective and individual participation; foster social cohesion and inclusion practices; strengthen the commitment of policy makers to promote effective measures to combat poverty and social exclusion.
The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, EY2010, coincides in the first half of the year with the Spanish Presidency of the European Union Council. For this reason, the EY2010 Opening Conference will be held in Spain, at the Ministry of Health and Social Policy, on 21 January, 2010, within the calendar of events of the Spanish Presidency.
This Opening Conference also aims to launch the European Year 2010, acting as a forum where institutions and stakeholders, as well as persons experiencing poverty and social exclusion, may discuss the progress made in the light of the European Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and, particularly, provide ideas to face the future beyond 2010.
The Opening Conference was launched by the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Ministry of Health and Social Policy, Trinidad Jiménez, and the President of the European Commission, Durao Barroso.
The European Commissioner of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, and the President of the Reflexion Group about the EU future, Felipe González, also participated in the event. The closing remarks were done by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos.
The Ministry of Health and Social Policy and the President of the Spanish Government mentioned in their speeches that initiatives for Roma would be fostered during the Spanish UE presidency. Particularly, the Spanish President said that the second Roma European Summit will be held in Cordoba next April and "it must be an opportunity to share experiences on cultural diversity and combating prejudices against excluded collectives regarding their origin, racial and culture background, and should be serve to propose measures for their active inclusion around Europe". Moreover, he referred to the "long tradition of living together with Roma in Spain, the efforts to assure social actions and a normative model done lately can be an experience to share with other Member States of the EU".
Opening Conference EY2010, Madrid 21st January
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