In his remarks delivered during the HDIM’s opening session, Ambassador Ivo Šrámek, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the OSCE, remembered the upcoming 30^th anniversary of the Velvet revolution in the former Czechoslovakia. Promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the OSCE region is today as relevant as in 1989, he stressed. Strengthening the implementation of the OSCE human dimension commitments is one of the priorities of the ongoing Czech chairmanship in the OSCE Human Dimension Committee in Vienna. Other priorities include support to the OSCE autonomous human rights institutions, Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and cooperation with representatives of civil society.

During HDIM 2019 the Czech Republic has taken floor and participated in discussion on several topical human rights issues, including freedom of the media or democratic elections. More than 1,500 participants from the OSCE participating States, civil society, human rights defenders and international organizations attend HDIM 2019. Democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms are key components of the OSCE comprehensive approach to conflict prevention and security in the OSCE region. HDIM is organized by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on annual basis.