Programme International Conference“The Impact of the Ombudsman”Ghent / BelgiumApril 14th – 15th 2008
Sunday April 13th 2008
15:00 Meeting in front of the Sint-Baafscathedral
15:15 Visit to the Adoration of the Lam Gods from the brothers Van Eyck
15:45 Visit to the Belfry (European heritage) with panoramic view
16:30 - 18:00 Trip through the historical centre
Monday April 14th 2008
09:00 - 09:45 Check in / Registration entrance hall of the city hall
09:50 Practical information by the ombudsman of Ghent, Rita Passemiers Pacification hall
10:00 Welcome speech by the mayor of Ghent, Daniël Termont
10:10 Introduction and presentation of the speakers by the chairman of the conference, Herwig Reynaert, Professor, Centre for Local Politics, Department of Political Science, Ghent University
Part I: How to measure impact
10:20 “Assessing Ombudsmen Impact: Towards a Multifaceted Approach Exploring the Case of Ghent” by Kristof Steyvers, Assistant-Professor, Centre for Local Politics, Department of Political Science, Ghent University
11:00 “Perspectives on the effectiveness of the Ombudsman institution: a Finish study” by Secretary General of the office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman in Finland, Jussi Pajuoja, Doctor of Laws, Docent of Criminal Policy at the University of Helsinki
11:20 Coffee-break
Part II: Instruments of impact
11:35 “Watching the Watchdog” by the ombudsman of Ireland, Emily O’Reilly
11:55 “The impact of ombudsman work on officials’ integrity: the role of the ombudsman in whistle-blowing” by the former Flemish (regional) ombudsman, Bernard Hubeau, Professor, Faculty of law at the University of Antwerp
12:20 Questions and practical information
12:30 Lunch Throne hall
Part III: Networks
13:45 Introduction
13:50 “The impact of networks” by the European ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros
14:10 “Belgian network experiment: Co-operation between local, Flemish, federal and sectorial ombudsman” by Belgian Federal ombudsman, Guido Schuermans
Part IV: Workshops
14:30 1. “How to improve the impact of the ombudsman” by chairman Felix Dünser, ombudsman of Vorarlberg2. “Which factors can influence the impact” by chairman Jean-Marie Hannesse, ombudsman of the pensions Belgium3. “The relation between ombudsmen and press” by chairman Emily O’Reilly, ombudsman of Ireland
16:00 Coffee-break
16:15 Plenary-session with general conclusions by the chairmen of the workshops
16:50 Closing speech and practical information by Rita Passemiers
19:00 Visit to the Sint-Pietersabbey
19:30 Diner with musical intermezzo’s in the Ceiling of the Library - the Art Hall of the Sint-Pietersabbey
Tuesday April 15th 2008
09:45 Practical information by the ombudsman of Ghent, Rita Passemiers Pacification hall
09:50 Introduction and presentation of the speakers by the chairman of the conference, Guido Herman, ombudsman of the Belgian Railway (NMBS)
Part V: Different continents, different countries, different ombudsmen, different impact
10:00 “Difference between the ombudsman in Central and Eastern Europe” by
10:20 “The impact of the ombudsman in Latin America” by the ombudsman of Peru, Beatriz Merino
10:40 Coffee-break
11:00 “The impact of the ombudsman in Benin” by the ombudsman of Benin, Albert Trévoédjrè
11:20 “The impact of the ombudsman in Scotland: What makes the difference?” by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Alice Brown
11:40 “The local ombudsman in Spain” by Ricardo Cabrales del Valle, Professor in Constitutional Law Carlos III University of Madrid
12:00 Lecture by the Catalan ombudsman Rafael Ribo
12:20 Questions and practical information
12:30 Lunch Throne hall
Part VI: The impact of the local ombudsman
14:00 “The added value of a local ombudsman: 25 years of experience and impact in Amsterdam” by the ombudsman of Amsterdam, Ulco van de Pol
14:30 “The local ombudsman and politics: a strange marriage?”
15:00 Coffee-break
15:20 Questions and debate
16:00 General conclusions by professor Herwig Reynaert
16:15 Closing speech and practical information by Rita Passemiers
16:30 Invitation by the mayor of Ghent, Daniël Termont, to join the reception “Ten years ombudsteam in Ghent”
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