A high-level conference of ombudsman institutions and national human rights institutions was held in Strasbourg, France, on 27 and 28 March 2025. Deputy Ombudsman Miha Horvat attended the event on behalf of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia, which is an institution of both types.

The conference, which brought together around 100 participants, included the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty, the President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the so-called Venice Commission of the Council of Europe) Claire Bazy-Malaurie, and the European Ombudsman (European Union) Teresa Anjinho. Topics covered included challenges to the rule of law and the protection of human rights in times of crisis, the risks and opportunities of authoritarian decision-making in the age of digitalisation, and the monitoring of the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The central finding of the conference was that the current geopolitical instability, the focus on sustainable development, changing values, support for particularly vulnerable groups, and the stability of society in general can only be addressed with any hope of success through institutional cooperation, innovative approaches, and a well-thought-out strategic allocation of resources. This is not without a clear reminder of the global responsibility of leaders in the implementation of human rights. Ombudsman and national human rights institutions play a special role in this.

Special attention was also paid at the conference to the topic of artificial intelligence. Its undoubted and inevitable importance for the future was emphasised, while the necessity of appropriate regulation was pointed out, which must include respect for human rights both during its development and, of course, in its subsequent use. In this context, the question was also raised during the discussion whether, due to the increasing automation or digitalisation of services in the private and public sectors, we will soon have to include a new right in the catalogue of human rights – the right to interact with a human being.