YEREVAN. – A two-day Conference on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Europe opened in Yerevan on Monday (photo).

Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, representatives of the Council of Europe, OSCE and the League of Arab States are participating in the conference.

Meanwhile, civic activists are holding a protest action in front of Marriott Armenia where the conference is held. Head of the Helsinki Association Mika Danielyan told reporters that the goal of the action is to show Europe inadmissibility of holding such conference in Armenia amid pressure on citizens and human rights defenders.

Addressing the participants of the conference, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian recalled that the combat against negative phenomena such as discrimination and xenophobia are among priorities of Armenia’s presidency of the Committee of Ministers. Participation of large number of European structures’ representatives speaks about the urgency of the issue, he noted.

In the context of globalization, when information is available to millions of people thanks to the internet, the question becomes even more important and attempts to sow discord and hatred are serious challengesm, he added.

“To tolerate does not mean to put up with what can not be tolerated,” Nalbandian emphasized.

During his speech, the protesters entered the conference hall carrying banners. After the speech of the Foreign Minister and the subsequent report of the CoE Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, the protesters left the hall. The conference is closed to the media.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am