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Join the conference in Slovakia: Discovering Alternatives to Detention and Supporting European Colleagues
Welcome to the 6th edition of the biannual conference on alternatives to detention in Slovakia! As a professional in the field, you won’t want to miss out on this exceptional event. Here are some key reasons why you should attend:

- Support colleagues from the Slovak Republic: By joining, you’ll not only have the opportunity to meet probation bodies and practitioners from all over Europe but also to support your colleagues from the Slovak Republic. Their work is essential to the continued development of probation services in their country, and the knowledge and support they’ll gain from European colleagues will help them to implement important changes.This year has been a milestone year for the Slovak colleagues – at the Ministry of Justice a new Section on restorative justice and probation was created and more importantly, there is intense, continual work on the amendment of the Slovak Criminal Code which in the case of approval by the National Council of the Slovak Republic will empower the restorative justice field, the use of non-custodial sentencing and it will consequently strengthen the professionals coming from the ranks of Probation and Mediation officers. More information about it you can read in an article provided by the Slovak Ministry of Justice.

- Support from the President of the Slovak Republic: We are thrilled to announce that this conference will be held under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Čaputová. Her support demonstrates the importance of probation restorative justice in the Slovak Republic.
>> Read more about this event!

- Topic and programme: The core business of each and every probation service is the topic of this year’s conference: alternatives to detention. Our programme consists of several plenaries that summarize information on the current state of play in Central Europe, in Belgium and Norway, two workshops, a round-table, and a World Café session, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn from and engage with experts in the field.
>> Read more about this event!

Image by fabrikasimf on Freepik - What will you learn?
You’ll learn about the current state of play and changes that have been going on in the field of probation from colleagues from across Europe.
You’ll also learn about the alternatives used across Europe, including successes, lessons learned, limits, and challenges.
In addition, you’ll gain insights into restorative justice and its application in the practice of probation services, drug courts, developments in probation services, and communication, education, and training.
>> Read more about this event!

- Get more involved: We encourage you to come prepared with questions for our round-table speakers and to get actively engaged in our World Café session, where you can share your views, experience, and knowledge on various aspects related to the use of alternatives, pre-trial detention, and restorative justice.
You can even become a host for one of the tables in the World Café session and lead the discussion on a topic of your choice. Let us know when submitting your registration.
>> Read more about this event!

- What will the conference bring you? You’ll gain practical experience from colleagues from across Europe, have the opportunity to network, share your experience and views, learn new knowledge and information, and get in touch with colleagues from across Europe. And many others… (it would be a long list) 😉

- Bratislava, Capital of Slovakia: Last but not least, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the beautiful and modern city of Bratislava on the Danube. It’s only a short trip from Vienna International Airport, so why not make a weekend of it and experience the local culture and hospitality?
We hope to see you there for a stimulating and engaging conference experience!
>> Read more about this event!
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