the Red Cross (ICRC), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In November 2013, the CPT’s President had a meeting with the Chairman of the UN Committee against Torture (CAT), Claudio Grossman, and the Chairperson of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), Malcolm Evans, during which they agreed on various ways of increasing the synergy between the monitoring bodies. 32. The CPT is also actively engaging with the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) set up under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT). The Committee’s delegations have had consultations with these mechanisms during many visits. In addition, CPT representatives have regularly attended activities organised by the NPMs in various countries. Reference should also be made to the CPT’s participation in a number of events organised by non-governmental organisations, such as an expert meeting on reprisals after detention monitoring visits, organised in Geneva in January 2014 by the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT). 33. During its November 2013 plenary meeting, the CPT had an exchange of views with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Méndez, on various topics, such as solitary confnement and revision of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. It is also worth mentioning that the CPT was represented at the 3rd Meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Expert Group on Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, held in Vienna in March 2014. General Report of the CPT, 2013-2014 ► Page 16 34. Within the framework of the Programme “Strengthening democratic reform in the southern Neighbourhood”, fnanced by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe, representatives of the CPT participated in two information seminars: in Tunis from 4 to 5 September and Rabat from 8 to 9 September 2014. The aim was to share the experience and working methods of the Committee as regards setting up a national preventive mechanism in Tunisia and Morocco following their ratifcation of the OPCAT. The Tunisian Minister of Justice, and civil servants from the Ministries of Justice, the Interior and Health, as well as representatives of civil society and international non-governmental organisations, attended the seminar in Tunis. Civil servants from the Ministries of Justice and the Interior, as well as representatives of the National Human Rights Council, its 13 regional committees and civil society, attended the seminar in Rabat. National or regional conferences on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the CPT 35. The frst plenary meeting of the CPT took place in November 1989. In order to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the CPT, a number of events were organised in various countries, on the initiative of CPT members and/or with their active involvement. 36. On 8 October 2014, a half-day conference on the 25 years of the CPT was organised in Helsinki (Finland) by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. One of the objectives was to raise awareness of the CPT’s work in Finland, which was very timely as the CPT’s periodic visit to Finland had been carried out only a few