The event, which took place from 10-12 November 2008, was organized by the Gulbenkian Foundation in association with the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. The forum focused on discussion of the principle of universality of human rights, and its implementation at international and regional levels.

President Sampaio was one of a number of high-level attendees at the forum, including Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Jean-Paul Costa, President of the European Court of Human Rights, and Alvaro Gil-Robles, former Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.

Read President Sampaio's full remarks to the opening session here and to the sixth session here .