several issues of relevance to the activity developed in the promotion and defense of human rights in the Ibero-American space. At the same time, following a plan to monitor the main issues of human rights violations, and without losing sight of the need to give greater visibility to the Federation in the European geographic area, FIO was associated with the organization of an international conference on migratory flows, Entitled «Les défis des instituitions d’Ombudsman les aux migrateurs», which took place on 7 and 8 September in Tirana, Albania, in partnership with the Mediterranean Ombudsman Association (AOM), the Association of Ombudsman and (AOMF) and the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), which culminated in the adoption of the Tirana Declaration, and a memorandum of understanding was negotiated between the various participating institutions, which is currently being finalized. The Ombudsman took part in the opening and closing sessions and delivered a communication in which he presented the conclusions of that international conference. As part of the institutional strengthening of FIO, the participation of the Ombudsman as President of the Federation at the International Conference on «Human Rights Challenges Now: The Ombudsman facing threats», which took place in Barcelona on the 26th and 27th of April. In this event, the Ombudsman delivered two communications: the first in the section entitled «The freedom-security dilema», entitled «The freedom-security dilema: contributions for a human rights based approach» and the second in the closing session. On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding was signed between FIO and the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), aimed at fortifying the two institutions, increasing the exchange of relevant information and the development of joint activities. Still in the wake of the alliance policy being developed by FIO, it was agreed to extend the existing arrangement with the Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos until 2020, and a working document was also signed to develop an effective implementation of the terms of the agreement. However, the most relevant aspect of this policy of strategic alliances is evidenced by the recent research developed in partnership with the Auschwitz Institute on transitional justice in order to preserve memory and compensate victims in countries affected by complex Periods of instability and violence. This research was based on the experiences of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala, and gave rise to a study entitled «El Rol del Ombudsman en los Procesos de Justicia Transicional». Another point that greatly contributed to FIO’s international visibility in the year 2016 was participation in the HABITAT process, which took place under the aegis of the United Nations. In this context, the following initiatives are highlighted: i) participation in the regional event for Latin America and the Caribbean in April 2016 in Toluca, Mexico, by holding an open table where the Ombudsman and President of FIO was represented by the technical secretary; ii) the participation of the Ombudsman at the World 98 |