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International Day for Biodiversity 2025
The Bern Convention celebrates the International Day for Biodiversity (22 May) and its 2025 theme, “Harmony with nature and sustainable development”, inspired by the adoption of the...
Council of Europe Congress President on official visit to Armenia
Strasbourg, 22.05.2025 – The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Marc Cools, will pay an official visit to Armenia on 26-27 May 2025. The President will participate in high-level panel discussions of the Yerevan Dialogue Forum, where he will underline that strong and...
Congress President highlights the role of Ukraine’s local authorities in shaping European security
“A country that defends itself commands the respect of all; that country does not die,” Congress President Marc Cools quoted Albert I, King of Belgium, addressing the Forum “Ukraine’s Experience – the Foundation of Europe’s Global Security” in Warsaw on 21 May 2025. He stressed that today...
Azerbaijan: PACE General Rapporteur deplores sentencing of a Talysh academic to 18 years in prison
The PACE General Rapporteur for political prisoners, Azadeh Rojhan (Sweden, SOC), made the following statement regarding the conviction of Igbal Abilov, a Talysh historian and ethnographer, on charges of high treason in Azerbaijan: “I am deeply concerned by the verdict of the Lankaran Serious...
PACE delegation visits FIFA HQ to discuss human rights and sport governance
A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) visited FIFA Headquarters in Zurich on 21 May for high-level discussions with FIFA leadership and experts on the promotion and protection of human rights in and through sport. The visit was part of a fact-finding mission...
First visit of a delegation from the Committee of Ministers to Kyiv (20-21 May 2025)
A delegation from the Committee of Ministers' Rapporteur Group on Democracy (GR-DEM), composed of Permanent Representatives from five member States,[1] is visiting Kyiv and has participated in the annual meeting of the steering committee of the Council of Europe's Action Plan for Ukraine:...
New video about the Council of Europe Contact Group on Belarus
On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus the Council of Europe has released a video on the Contact Group on Belarus. "You are not alone," said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. "Change is taking root, even where democracy is...
AI in healthcare: balancing innovation with human rights
More than 400 representatives from ministries, health professionals, experts, patient associations and international organisations gathered in Helsinki to discuss the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector and its implications for human rights. Organised by the Ministry...
Social mobilisation: committee proposed placing mediation at the heart of policing, calling for a renewed social contract
The Committee on Social Affairs, meeting on 16 May in Helsinki, emphasised the importance of rethinking policing strategies in the face of social mobilisation and rebuilding a lasting bond between institutions and citizens, including young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Analysing several...
PACE committee urges a sustainable and socially fair energy transition grounded in human rights
A PACE committee has called on member states to strengthen their national strategies for transitioning to clean, safe and affordable energy — a move seen as critical not only for environmental sustainability but also for social justice and human rights. The committee further underlined that...
Italy’s Gallipoli Cognato Nature Reserve to receive European Diploma for Protected Areas at 60th anniversary ceremony in Granada, Spain
The European Diploma for Protected Areas celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. To mark the occasion, Spanish authorities will host a commemorative ceremony in Granada on 21 May, where Italy’s Gallipoli Cognato Nature Reserve will be awarded the prestigious European Diploma for Protected Areas....
Responding to the needs of public and private actors involved in migration management
The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, meeting in Paris on 19 May, called on member states to strengthen the co-operation between public and private actors involved in migration management, whether in terms of first assistance, reception, or inclusion of migrants, refugees...
Council of Europe support for Ukraine has reached an unprecedented scale, say participants of Kyiv meeting
The Council of Europe's support to Ukraine has reached an unprecedented level and remains a top priority for the Organisation. This was the key message of the meetings of the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" 2023-2026...
Call for Expression of Interest by Moldovan local authorities to enhance civil participation
The Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has launched a Call for Expression of Interest from Moldovan local authorities. The call invites local authorities to express their interest before 30 May 2025 to work with civil society on...
Congress President at OECD Ministerial: Overcoming territorial inequalities fosters sustainable development
“It is essential to combat growing inequalities not only between population groups but also between territories in order to prevent the emergence of ‘orphaned areas’ that are isolated and do not receive public services,” stressed Congress President Marc Cools at the 2025 OECD Ministerial Meeting...
Congress Secretary General at Council of Europe Human Rights Day in dialogue with civil society
“Democracy is first and foremost nurtured by citizens, shaped by the experiences of people who care about their freedoms, their rights, their neighbours and the places they live in,” stressed...
The Council of Europe stands with those working for LGBTI equality, says Secretary General at IDAHOT + Forum in Malta
Defending the rights of LGBTI persons is not a niche issue, but a test of whether Europe as a continent still believes in the universality of human rights, said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, in a video message to the participants of the IDAHOT+ Forum in Valetta. Hosted by the...
Young European Heritage Makers: the Voices of the Young Generation resonates in Strasbourg
What does European heritage mean to young people? Which stories, places, and traditions are worth preserving for the future? These are the questions that Young European Heritage Makers 2024 winners will reflect on during their visit to Strasbourg on 20–21 May, as part of the European Heritage...
The Hungarian draft law on ‘transparency in public life’ must not be adopted, say PACE monitors
Eerik-Niiles Kross (Estonia, ALDE) and George Papandreou (Greece, SOC), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Hungary, have made the following statement today concerning the draft law in Hungary on “transparency in public life”: “As...
Human Rights Day in Finland underscores civil society’s vital role in democracy
On 19 May, the third Council of Europe Human Rights Day took place in Tampere, Finland, bringing together more than 200 participants – online and in person – from Finnish state administration, civil society, academia, and the Council of Europe. The event focused on the theme “Participation,...
*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.