Iveta Radičová, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic

Johannes Hahn , European Commissioner for Regional Policy

Koos Richelle, Director General, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission

Lucia Nicholsonová, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Miroslav Pollák, Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma Communities

Klára Orgovánová, Director, RomaInstitute

Plenary session – Setting the scene

Moderator:  Nicholas Martyn, Deputy Director General, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission

Morten Kjaerum , Director, Fundamental Rights Agency: Situation of Roma in Eastern Europe

Katarína Mathernová , Senior Adviser, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank: The costs of non-inclusion and poverty mapping

Andrey Ivanov , Human Development policy Advisor, United Nations Development Programme: Data collection and monitoring: presentation of the Household Survey in Slovakia

Miroslav Pollák, Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma Communities: Support for an effective integration of Roma in Slovakia

Panel discussion

Topics: "What are the main consequences of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 (which was released by the European Commission on 05 April 2011) for Slovakia? How can a national Roma integration strategy be implemented in Slovakia and what will the future Roma integration strategy consists of?" 

Participants:

• Anton Marcinčin, Member of the Slovak Parliament

• Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director, Directorate-General for Justice, European Commission

• Zuzana Kumanová, Head of Department responsible for strategies, analysis and regional coordination, Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma Communities

• Zdenko Trebul'a, President of Košice Self-governing Region

• Zeljko Jovanovic, Director, Open Society Institute

Four parallel workshops

1. WORKSHOP - Comprehensive approach for marginalised Roma communities  

Moderator: Christopher Todd, Head of the Slovak unit, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission

Speakers:

1. Jana Minarovičová, Head of the Department of the Horizontal priority on Marginalised Roma Communities, Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma Communities
2. Sandra Salamonová, Director General, Central Coordinating Authority, Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development
3. Slávka Mačáková, Director, ETP Slovakia, Centre for Sustainable Development
4. Vladimír Ledecký, Mayor of Spišský Hrhov
5. Klára Orgovánová, Director, RomaInstitute

2. WORKSHOP - How to reach better education for Roma children?

Moderator: Vladimír Šucha, Director, Directorate-General for Education and Culture

Speakers:

1. Katarína Ondrášová, State advisor, Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports
2. Costel Bercus, Chair of the Board, Roma Education Fund
3. Nicola Duckworth, Director, Europe and Central Asia, Amnesty International
4. Michal Vašečka, Director, Center for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture
5. Ján Hero, Director, Private secondary school Zefyrína Jiméneza Mallu

3. WORKSHOP - Infrastructure development and housing actions for marginalised Roma communities

Moderator: Nóra Teller, expert, Metropolitan Research Institute

Speakers:

1. Alexandros Tsolakis, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission
2. Àdám Kullman, expert, Open Society Institute
3. Elena Szolgayová, Director, Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development
4. Alexandra Kucmanová, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
5. György Alföldi, Director, Rév8 ltd.

4. WORKSHOP - For a better employment and social inclusion of Roma

Moderator: Peter Stub Jorgensen, Director, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission

Speakers:

1. Martin Vavrinčík, Director responsible for socially excluded communities, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
2. Zuzana Polačková, Director General, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
3. György Molnár, Researcher, Kiútprogram
4. Martin Pitorák, Vice-president, U.S. Steel Košice  
5. Miroslava Hapalová, Director, NGO "People in Need Slovensko"
6. Zuzana Kusá, Senior researcher, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Moderator: Sean McGrade, Head of Unit, EU Compliance Division, Northern Ireland Civil Service

17:00-17:30 - Wrap-up of the parallel workshops

17:30-18:00 - Closing remarks and outlook on the follow-up of the HLE
Nicholas Martyn, Deputy Director General, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission

25 May 2011 - Regional conference, Košice

Opening

Jozef Mihál, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-president and European Commissioner for Inter-institutional Relations and Administration

László Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Zdenko Trebul'a, President of Košice Self-governing Region

Renáta Lenártová, Deputy-mayor of Košice  

Jarmila Vaňová, MECEM (Roma Media Center)

Plenary session- setting the scene

Moderator: Katarína Mathernová, Senior Adviser, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank

Rudolf Niessler, Director, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission: Cohesion Policy support for middle and Eastern Slovakia

Lucia Nicholsonová, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family: The socially excluded communities and concentrated poverty in Slovakia

Miroslav Pollák, Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma communities: Support for Roma communities in Slovakia

Michal Vašečka, Director, Centre for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture: Hate speech and general attitude towards Roma in Slovakia

Panel discussion

Topics: "What are the proper policy responses to the situation of Roma in Eastern-Slovakia, and in the Košice region in particular?"; "What are the future challenges and how to face them properly?"

Participants:

• Miroslav Pollák, Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Government for Roma communities

• Dušan Šlosár, Head of Department, Košice Self-governing Region

• Renáta Lenártová, Deputy-mayor of Košice

• Laco Oravec, Programmes Director, Milan Šimečka Foundation 

14:30 - 16:30 - Two parallel workshops

1. WORKSHOP - Presentation of good policies and projects

Moderator: Christopher Todd, Head of the Slovak unit, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission

Speakers:      

1. Maurizia Tovo, Lead Social Development Specialist, World Bank
2. Ruus Dijksterhuis, Director, ERGO Network
3. Ľuboš Tomko, Project Manager, Institute of Christ High Priest
4. Ladislav Perháč, Advisor, Košice municipality: URBACT - RomaNet
5. Zuzana Polačková, Director General, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

2. WORKSHOP - Unlocking potentials – education of Roma children

Moderator: Aurelio Cecilio,  Head of Unit – European Social Fund - Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia  Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission

Speakers:

1. Daniel Stanislav, Research Officer, European Roma Rights Centre
2. Gábor Nagy, project manager, DARTKE
3. Barbora Černušáková, researcher, Amnesty International, International Secretariat
4. Marta Bošeľová, Director, Elementary school Šumiac
5. Viera Sandorova, Methodology and Pedagogy Centre, State budgetary organization of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport

Closing

 Christopher Todd, Head of the Slovak unit, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission