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Award ceremony and the EUDM opening event

European Diversity Month opening event & European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award

Join us as we reveal the winners of the fourth European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award and open European Diversity Month 2025. Find out which places are champions for inclusion in Europe and how your organisation can harness diversity and inclusion to embrace mental health and well-being at the workplace.

To follow the event online with interpretation, join us on Zoom Webinar

Webinar ID: 699 0325 7078

Passcode: 2025

Please note: The meeting will take place via Zoom Webinar.
We highly recommend downloading the native app to access all the features. To download the Zoom app, up to date, click here. 

 

Agenda European Diversity 2025

29 April 2025, 13:30 – 19:00 CET - Reception 19:00 – 20:30 CET Brussels

Location: Hotel Cardo Brussels - Av. du Boulevard 14, 1210 Brussels

Download Agenda in PDF

 

  1. 12:30 – 13:30

    Welcome coffee

  2. 13:30 -13:35

    Welcome by the moderator Ali Al-Jaberi

  3. 13:35 – 13:45

    Opening address

    by Irena Moozova, Deputy Director-General of DG Justice & Consumer

  4. 13:45 – 13:55

    Standing strong together

    Magdalena Dropek, counsellor in Equal Treatment Department in Prime Minister Office and advisor to the Minister for Equality, The Polish presidency of the Council of the EU

  5. 13:55 – 14:15

    Taking a stand for diversity

    Diversity Charters

  6. 14:15 – 15:15

    Panel discussion “United in Diversity – staying strong in defending and promoting our values” 

    Special address by

    Dña. Ana Redondo García, Minister of Equality of Spain (online)

    Panel discussion :    

    • Michaela Jaap, Head of Corporate Culture & Responsibility at Hays, Member of the Board of Diversity Charter Germany
    • Marko Podgornik Verdev, CEO of Mikro+Polo
    • Christophe Margaine, Member of the Board, European Pride Business Network
    • Ana Carla Pereira, Director for Equality and Non-discrimination, DG Justice & Consumers
  7. 15:15 – 15:25

    Mindfulness break

  8. 15:40 – 16:30

    Parallel working sessions

    Tapping into pools of unused talent

    Moderator: Raquel Santamaria

    • Barbora Suisse, founder of an NGO Friendly to Autism, board member of Lithuanian Charter
    • Inês Pimenta Costa, D&I Manager at NOS Comunicações

    Diversity as competitive advantage (streamed online)

    Moderator: Ali Al-Jaberi

    • Melanie Hache-Barrois, Oracle (online)
    • Mare Heinluht, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Bolt
    • Carla Ruiz, HR Director, AstraZeneca

    Data-driven diversity

    Moderator: Laure Amoyel, Luxembourg Ministry of Equality and Diversity

    • Yves Turi, CACEIS Consulting, CACEIS Bank, Luxembourg Branch
    • Irena Madej, Polish Diversity Charter
    • Elżbieta Sieniawska, Polish Diversity Charter
  9. 16:30 – 17:00

    Networking coffee break

  1. 17:00 – 17:05

    Start of the Award ceremony 

  2. 17:05 – 17:15

    Opening of the Award ceremony

  3. 17:15 – 17:40

    Category cities under 50 000 inhabitants

    Katrin Krause, Special envoy to the jury of the Award, European Committee of the Regions

  4. 17:40 – 18:05

    Category cities over 50 000 inhabitants

    Presented by Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

  5. 18:05 – 18:30

    Special award on ‘Inclusive housing”

    Presented by Stefan Moser, Head of Unit Task Force Housing, DG Energy

    Video message by  Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing

  6. 18:30 – 18:40

    Opening of the online voting for public vote winner

  7. 18:40 – 19:00

    Speech and announcement of the public vote winner by Irena Moozova, Deputy Director-General of DG Justice & Consumers

    and a group photo of all shortlisted cities

  8. 19 :00

    Closing by the moderator

  9. 19:00 – 20:30

    Reception