'Human Rights: Camera Action!' competition: winners announced

Deputy Secretary General 6 November 2024 Strasbourg

The Council of Europe has announced the winners of the 'Human Rights: Camera Action!' competition, which celebrates the creativity and commitment of young photo and video creators dedicated to human rights. The competition, which attracted a large number of entries from across the organisation’s...

Read More

“Vilnius Dialogue” launches public debate on freedom of expression in Europe

Council of Europe 24 october 2024 Vilnius

An international conference held on 24 October in Vilnius, under the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, discussed ways of strengthening judicial capacity to implement Council of Europe standards and instruments protecting freedom of expression, in...

Read More

Lithuanian Vice-Minister of the Interior: Congress plays an important role in protecting Council of Europe values

Congress 16 October 2024 Strasbourg

Addressing the 47th session, Vice-Minister of the Interior of Lithuania Arnoldas Abramavičius, speaking on behalf of the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, underlined the paramount role of the Congress in protecting the values of the Council of Europe. He acknowledged the Congress's...

Read More

Committee of Ministers' President Landsbergis: collective effort needed to ensure sustainable peace and respect for human rights

Committee of Ministers 2 october 2024 Strasbourg

“It is time to put even more pressure on Russia and ensure its full accountability for its crimes,” said Gabrielius Landsbergis, President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, when addressing the Parliamentary Assembly. “Only this way will we lay the path...

Read More

Vilnius conference: multilevel governance's key role in strengthening democratic resilience

Congress 27 September 2024 Strasbourg

Improving participation, a clear distribution of competences between levels of governance, and dynamic dialogue between all actors can help ensure that effective multilevel governance counters populism and the polarisation of society. These were among the key takeaways of a conference organised...

Read More

European Day of Languages: Greetings from Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania

Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 26 September 2024 Strasbourg

On the European Day of Languages, we can all better appreciate what it means to be European and celebrate our unity in diversity. It is no coincidence that as early as 1599, Mikalojus Daukša, the publisher of the first books in Lithuanian, wrote in his "Postilė" chapter The Preface Unto...

Read More

Languages for Peace: European Day of Languages 2024 highlights Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity

Council of Europe 25 september 2024 strasbourg

Every year since 2001 the European Day of Languages marked on 26 September celebrates the wealth of languages coexisting in Europe and beyond. Over 225 languages are native to Europe alone, not including languages that arrived on the continent through migration. The motto of this year’s day is...

Read More

Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in building resilient democratic societies: conference hosted by Council of Europe Congress

Deputy Secretary General 12 September 2024 Strasbourg

The role of local and regional authorities in effectively responding to the challenges facing European democracies, in supporting Ukraine, protecting human rights, saving the environment, and enabling young people’s involvement is the focus of a conference of associations of local and regional...

Read More

Justice for crimes committed in Ukraine: Ministers of Justice discuss legal cooperation and a special tribunal for the crime of aggression

Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 5 September 2024 Vilnius

Meeting under the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Ministers of Justice of Council of Europe member and observer states have adopted a declaration outlining a series of principles to address critical justice and accountability issues related to Russia’s aggression against...

Read More

Congress and associations of local and regional authorities: renewed partnership in strengthening grassroots democracy

Congress 3 September 2024 Strasbourg

On 12 and 13 September 2024, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will host a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities from the 46 member states, at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg. Organised on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Council of...

Read More

Justice Ministers discuss accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine and open AI Convention for signature at meeting in Vilnius

Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 30 August 2024 Strasbourg

The Ministers of Justice will meet in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 5 September at a conference entitled “Towards accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine” and held under the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. Prior to the meeting, the Council of Europe’s Convention...

Read More

Landmark political declaration reaffirms importance of European Social Charter

Council of Europe 4 July 2024 Vilnius

The high-level conference on the European Social Charter in Vilnius, Lithuania, has adopted a landmark political declaration, reinforcing the commitment of Council of Europe member states to social justice and the protection of social rights. The event, held under the auspices of the Presidency...

Read More

International event in Vilnius highlights importance of protecting social rights of Ukrainians during the ongoing Russian war of aggression

Council of Europe 3 July 2024 Vilnius

An international event in Vilnius has underscored the critical importance of protecting social rights in Ukraine in spite of the ongoing war of aggression by Russia and of the protection of children's rights as the most vulnerable group affected by the conflict. It also highlighted the role of...

Read More

High-level dialogue on good democratic governance in Ukraine and way forward in post-war period

Council of Europe 2 July 2024 Strasbourg

On 2-3 July 2024, Council of Europe and key national stakeholders from Ukraine gather in Strasbourg to discuss perspectives for good democratic governance reforms in Ukraine and further actions to improve the legal framework on multilevel governance and post-war elections in line with European...

Read More

CM President Landsbergis: Council of Europe must remain the driver of real action against Russia’s aggression

Parliamentary Assembly session 25 June 2024 Strasbourg

“Your strong and timely political recommendation to the Committee of Ministers to expel Russia was groundbreaking and – for many of us – brought back faith in our common institutions,” said Gabrielius Landsbergis, President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of...

Read More

Secretary General meets UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Secretary General 25 June 2024 Strasbourg

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The excellent institutional co-operation between the Council of Europe and United Nations has been underlined during the exchange of views. Marija Pejčinović Burić...

Read More

Secretary General meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania

Secretary General 25 June 2024 Strasbourg

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers Gabrielius Landsbergis. The meeting focused on the Priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency. The opening for signature of the Framework Convention on Artificial...

Read More

Secretary General marks 75th anniversary in Vilnius and opens EuroDig conference

Secretary General 19 June 2024 Strasbourg

“Lithuania has embarked on a positive and ambitious agenda for its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. One that respects the legacy and ongoing aims of our Organisation. But also addresses some of the more recent and defining challenges of our times. This really is the story of the Council...

Read More

“Death is not justice”: Strasbourg workshop on the abolition of the death penalty

Council of Europe 19 June 2024 Strasbourg

In collaboration with civil society partners Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) and the German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP), the Council of Europe is holding the second edition of a workshop, “Death is not justice – advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty”, in...

Read More

Advancing the Abolition of the Death Penalty Among Belarusian Society and Diaspora: Workshop in Vilnius

Council of Europe 31 May 2024 Vilnius

A training workshop on the advancement of the issue of abolition of the death penalty in Belarus among Belarusian society, including diaspora, took place in Vilnius, Lithuania from 30-31 May. The event was opened by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Jonas Survila on behalf of the...

Read More