The two day workshop consisted of in-depth briefings for all countries in the region who will undergo the UPR at its 10th, 11th and 12th sessions in 2011. Representatives from both the Governments and National Human Rights Institutions, as well as civil society organizations from 11 countries participated in the workshop. The 11 countries are: Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Iceland and Ireland.

“The creation of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is undoubtedly the most significant innovation that came with the creation of the new Human Rights Council. After decades of political realities in which the powerful tended to avoid scrutiny, under this system, for the first time, the human rights records of all U.N. Member States regardless of their wealth, size, or military or political importance are regularly reviewed on the basis of universal and equal parameters and standards. In establishing the universal review, States recognized that no country is perfect and that all countries have areas in which they can improve their human rights records.

Notwithstanding its technical and formal aspects, which will be dealt with during this workshop, we should not forget that the aim of the UPR – as well as of other human rights instruments - is the improvement of the enjoyment of human rights in real life,” said OHCHR Regional Representative Jan Jarab as he inaugurated the workshop, together with Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Slovenia.

John Kissane (of the Ministry for Justice of the United Kingdom); Smiljana Knez (of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Slovenia) and Roland Chauville (of the NGO "UPR-Info”) participated as facilitators, and shared their practical experiences on preparations for the UPR, how the review is conducted and on good practices on follow up of the UPR – which was much appreciated by the participants.