On March 3, 2007 an International meeting "Legal protection of public interests: institute of plenipotentiary on human rights" for students and teachers of law faculties of Belarusian Universities was conducted. The activity was organized by OSCE office in Minsk.

The International meeting was devoted to the role of institute of Plenipotentiary on human rights within the legal system of public interests protection.

Invited speakers for the meeting were – Mr. Mats Melin, Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman, Mr. Adam Zelinsky, ex-Plenipotentiary on Civil Rights in Poland and Mr. Vladimir Tambovtsev, Head of State Security Department on Human Rights of the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation.

The topic of the International meeting was of interest to students and lecturers of Belarusian universities, applications have also been received from alumni of Belarusian higher education institutions and other interested young people. Therefore, the public lecture was attended by 241 people; out of them 211 students of bachelors and masters courses, 18 teachers and postgraduates.

Specialists from a Belarusian Scientific-practical Center of Proscecutor’s office on Problems of Sustaining Lawfulness and Normocracy, OSCE representatives, representatives of Ministry of international affairs of Belarus and Commission on human rights, national relationships and mass-media of the Chamber of representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus were also invited to the meeting.

Students from the following higher education institutions have attended the event:

• Belarusian State University;
• Belarusian State Economical University;
• Brest State (Pushkin) University;
• Polozk State University;
• Academy of management created;
• Mogilev State (Kuleshov) University;
• Gomel State (Skaryna) University;
• Baranovichi State University;
• Minsk Management Institute;
• Belarusian Institute of Jurisprudence;
• European Humanities University;
• International Humanities-Economical university;
• Academy of the Ministry of Interior.

Mr. Oke Petersson, Head of OSCE office in Minsk, has opened the International meeting with a welcome speech.

Then the floor was given to Mr. Mats Melin, a Swedish parliamentary Ombudsman, who talked about the history of creation and development of the institution of Ombudsman, stipulated on the notion of Ombudsman, structure of the institution of Ombudsman in Sweden, and paid additional attention to the role, function and status of Swedish Plenipotentiaries on human rights (Ombudsmen).

Public lecture of Mr. Vladimir Tambovtsev, Head of State Security Department on Human Rights of the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, was reach in concrete examples of actions conducted by the Plenipotentiary on human rights in the Russian Federation in accordance with the Russian Federal Law "About the Plenipotentiary on human rights in the Russian Federation".
In this speech the lecturer has given a detailed description of Russia’s situation in the sphere of human rights protection. Mr.Tambovtsev’s lecture raised interest especially due to the fact that it was describing the situation in a country neighboring to Belarus.

Lecture of Mr. Adam Zelinsky, ex-Plenipotentiary on Civil rights in Poland was very sincere and emotional. Mr. Zelinsky accentualized the necessity of institution of Ombudsman as a working mechanism of human rights protection, and when talking about independence of a Plenipotentiary on human rights he gave special attention to personal qualities of an Ombudsman. He also mentioned cooperation between Ombudsman and human rights organizations, vividly described his vision of an attitude of Ombudsman bureau members towards people who turn for help to a Plenipotentiary on Human rights.

The questions of the Q&A round at the end of the speeches were numerous and touched upon different topics: possibility of introducing an institution of Ombudsman in the Republic of Belarus; independence of Ombudsman; the role of Ombudsman within the system of human rights protection; the "Human Rights" educational course and how it is taught in Belarusian Universities, etc.

The concluding remarks of Mr. Oke Petersson, Head of OSCE office in Minsk, were expressing gratitude to all people who have come to the lecture and showed their great interest. Mr. Petersson has also given a short overview of programs that are being run by the Minsk OSCE office, and expressed hope for the future of similar meetings with student youth.