How can democracy be defended?

2023-05-23 05:12:04

Victim advocates from all over the world discuss in Berlin / WEISSER RING invites you to the international conference (PHOTO)

Mainz/Berlin (ots) – Victim advocates and crime experts from around the world are meeting in Berlin from June 7th to 9th to discuss the increasing attacks on democracy. Under the title “Protection of fundamental freedoms – practical protection of victims” (“Protecting Fundamental Freedoms, a Victim’s Perspective”), experts from institutions as diverse as the FBI, the European Jewish Congress or the German Körber Foundation will discuss topics such as hate crimes, reprisals from journalists or the protection of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers from Ukraine and Russia .

The organizer of the conference is Victim Support Europe (VSE), the umbrella organization of European victim support organizations, is organized by WEISSER RING, Germany’s largest support organization for crime victims. The VSE conference takes place once a year, the last time it was in Germany was in 2010. It is one of the largest and most important events in the field of victim support worldwide.

This year’s conference focuses on the really big issues of our time: democracies are increasingly under attack from populists and extremists, fanatics are attacking the basic values of freedom, hundreds of thousands of people have become victims of war and displacement. Against the background of such global challenges, the community of victim advocates would like to provide answers to questions like these: “Why are democracy and fundamental freedoms important for the rights of victims?”

In order to find answers, WEISSE RING, together with Victim Support Europe, invited renowned experts from all over the world, for example:

Staci Beers is a specialist in working with crime victims at the American FBI and presents novel approaches to planning and preparing for victim support.
Ahmad Mansour, Psychologist and CEO of MIND Prevention, reveals the importance of religious organizations in victim recovery and in preventing violent crime.
Jochen Kopelke, the national chairman of the police union, speaks about equality, inclusion and respect.
tom de bruyne, Founder of the Behavioral Design Academy, addresses the phenomenon of populism rampant around the world.
Lauren Walker by “The Brussels Times” explores the role of journalism in a modern democracy and the special responsibility of reporting on victims of violent crime.
Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Journalist and one of the founders of HateAid, reports on which support is most effective in helping victims of hate crimes.
Astrid Passin, Spokeswoman for the survivors and those affected by the attack on Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, describes how it feels when your own life is thrown off course by a terrorist attack.
Hila Shvoron talks about “Sharing knowledge – Shared Trauma: Scaling Knowledge from Israel to Ukraine”. The Israeli organization NATAL specializes in war and terror-related trauma.

A look at the worrying developments of the last few years shows how important the topics dealt with at the conference are. “More and more often, those people are becoming victims who contribute to our free, democratic system being able to function,” he says Bianca Biwer, Federal Managing Director of the WEISSER RING. “Every attack on a journalist, every threat against a politician, every intimidation of an NGO is an attack on our core values.” That is why it is particularly important to WEISSEN RING and Victim Support Europe that the event is also open to non-members. “The conference is not a closed event – on the contrary. We would be very happy if many people took part, especially representatives of politics, the press or civil society,” emphasizes Biwer. “At this conference, Europe comes together, it’s something very special.”

The program starts in the morning with lectures and discussions, in the afternoon various supplementary workshops take place. It is also possible to attend the conference on a daily basis.

Die Program overview and other important information such as admission prices can be found on the event website:

interested can register here:

For Press Registrations please use this link:

The conference language is English, simultaneous translations into German will be provided for the plenary sessions.

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The WEISSE RING was founded in Mainz in 1976 as a “non-profit association for the support of crime victims and for the prevention of crime e. V.”. It is Germany’s largest aid organization for victims of crime. The association maintains a network of almost 3,000 voluntary, professionally trained victim helpers in 400 branch offices nationwide, on the victim hotline and in online counseling. The WEISSE RING has more than 100,000 sponsors and is divided into 18 regional associations. He is a knowledgeable and recognized contact for politics, the judiciary, administration, science and the media in all questions of victim support. The association finances its activities exclusively from membership fees, donations and testamentary benefits as well as fines imposed by courts and public prosecutors. The WEISSER RING does not receive any state funds.