Main Conference programme
DAY 1: Milestones in Victim Support: Lessons from the Past, Strategies for the Future
08:30 Registration and welcome coffee
09:00 – 09:30 Welcome session
- João Lázaro, President, The Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
- Rosa Jansen, President, Victim Support Europe
- Katarzyna Janicka-Pawlowska, Coordinator for Victims’ Rights, European Commission
09:30 – 10:00 Voices in defence of victims’ rights
- Helgard van Hüllen, former Vice President of Victim Support Europe and Chair of Landesbüro Bayern-Süd of Weisser Ring
- Jan J. M. van Dijk, Professor Emeritus in Victimology, Tilburg University
10:00 – 10:20 Opening Speech: “Celebrating 35 Years of Universality, Indivisibility and Transformation of Victims’ Rights”
- Levent Altan, Executive Director, Victim Support Europe
10:20 – 10:30 Icebreaker #1
10:30 – 10:55 Keynote: “From the Margins to the Mainstream: Shaping the Future of Victim Support for a Safer, More Inclusive Society”
- Martyn Herward, Director of Business Services & Deputy Chief Executive, Victim Support England and Wales
10:55 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 13:00 Panel Session: “Do international instruments work for victims?”
MODERATOR: Katarzyna Janicka-Pawlowska, Coordinator for Victims’ Rights, European Commission
- Alice Hamilton, Project Manager at the Justice, Digital and Migration Unit, European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
- Katarzyna Janicka-Pawlowska, Coordinator for Victims’ Rights, European Commission
- Simona Florescu, Litigation Manager, Validity Foundation
- Sónia Moreira Reis, Invited Assistant Professor at ISCSP ULisboa / Member of Centre for Public Administration and Public Policies (CAPP)
13:00 – 14:30 Networking Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 Blitz Talks
15:00 – 16:30 Workshops
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee Break
17:00 – 17:15 Closing
- João Lázaro, President, The Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
17:15 – 17:45 Portuguese Traditional Entertainment Moment
20:00 Celebration Dinner
DAY 2
Friday
23 may 2025
DAY 2: Practical Solutions for Present and Future Victim Support
09:00 – 09:30 Opening Session: “Strengthening Victim Support & Empowering Youth for Change”
- Rosa Jansen, President, Victim Support Europe
- Eva Fechner, Legal Advisor, Slachtofferhulp Nederland
09:30 – 10:00 Keynote: “How Can We Empower Youth as Agents of Change? A Cybercrime Example in Action”
- Pedro Verdelho, Coordinator, Cybercrime Office within the Prosecutor General’s Office
10:00 – 10:45 Round Table: “Mainstreaming Victim Issues in IT for Inclusive Solutions”
MODERATOR: Aleksandra Ivankovic, Deputy Director, Victim Support Europe
- Maja Štahan, Coordinator National Call Centre for Victims of Crime, Victim and Witness Support Service Croatia
- Jed Stone, Chief Revenue Officer, Issured
- Rannveig Sigurvinsdóttir, Associate professor, Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University
10:45 – 10:50 Icebreaker #2
10:50 – 11:35 Round Table “Inclusive Solutions for Crime Victims – Elderly Victims as a Key Example”
MODERATOR: João Lázaro, President, Portuguese Association for Victim Support
- Marta Mendes, Manager of Braga Victim Support Office & APAV MAIS – Support to Older People Victim of Crime and Violence, Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
- Demos Antoniou, President, Cyprus Third Age Observatory
- Jérôme Moreau, President, France Victimes 58 ANDAVI
11:35 – 12:05 Coffee Break
12:05 – 13:05 Parallel Sessions: “Leveraging Cooperation and Coordination for Effective Victim Support”
Parallel Session #1: Transforming Victim Support through International Cooperation
MODERATOR: Levent Altan, Executive Director, Victim Support Europe
- Sue O’Sullivan, Chair, INVICTM
- Jeahyen Soung, Director General of Human Rights Bureau, Ministry of Justice, South Korea
- Kulbir Kaur, Senior Investigating Officer and Family Liaison Coordinator, Counter Terrorism Policing (UK)
Parallel Session #2: “How national frameworks can be effectively implemented into practical, on-the-ground practices? From Legislation to Implementation.”
MODERATOR: Antonio De Martin, Senior Project Manager, Victim Support Europe
- Susana Videira, Director-General for the Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice
- Brian Farrugia, Chief Executive Officer, Victim Support Agency
- Markéta Vitoušová, Branch Manager, Bílý kruh bezpečí
13:05 – 14:30 Networking Lunch
14:30 – 15:30 Parallel Sessions: “Building a Safer Future: Inclusive Solutions for Crime Victims and the Role of AI in Strengthening Victim Support and Prevention”
Parallel Sessions #1: “Inclusive Solutions for Crime Victims: Protecting Children from Sexual Crimes”
MODERATOR: Carla Ferreira, Manager of APAC CARE – Support to Children and Youngster Victims of Sexual Violence, Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
- Cristina Soeiro, Vice-President, Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
- Pedro Strecht, Portugal
- Stavroula Spiropoulou, Psychologist, Helplines Supervisor, and Coordinator of the National Center for Abuse and Exploitation, Smile of the Child
Parallel Sessions #2: “How AI and Tech Can Strengthen Victim Support and Crime Prevention for a Safer Future?”
MODERATOR: Rosa Saavedra, Technical Advisor to the Board, Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
- Arastalis Choudhury, Founder, Necx
- Elie Kagan, Head of Crisis Management, SACC by EJC
- Zoé Colpaert, Regional Program Manager Europe, The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC)
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 16:30 Keynote: Inspiring a Brighter Tomorrow
- Antony Pemberton, Professor at the Leuven Institute of Criminology and Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR)
16:30 – 17:00 Closing Session
- Amadeu Francisco Ribeiro Guerra, Attorney General of the Republic
