Poland’s first foreign minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski died on 08 February 2010. He was a prominent politician who advocated Polish–German rapprochement and open talks about Polish membership in NATO and the European Union after the collapse of communism. He was one of the best experts of the international law and his achievements in enhancing Polish position on the international arena were officially recognised on 13 November 2009 when foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski awarded him with Bene Merito distinction.

“Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.” English writer Francis Bacon was already debating death penalty during the 16th century. The right to life, and the right not to be tortured or treated cruelly are surely amongst the most important safeguards for a human being.

The 15th Przystanek Woodstock Festival was held in Kostrzyn on the Oder (Polish-German border) on 31 July – 2 August, 2009, the greatest music open-air festival in Europe. Contemporary rock stars from different parts of the world were present on the stage. The Festival gathered extraordinary number of participants: 450,000 young people from all over Poland and numerous European countries.

Gallery 

[10/07/2009] 20-24 May 2009, The CoE was a Guest of Honour of the 54. International Book Fair in Warsaw. The CoE stand at the IBF – the biggest (300 m2) stand in the main hall of the Palace of Culture and Science, was organised by the IOCE. The main idea was to present the activities of the CoE and its publications. The Fair was held under the honorary auspices of the President of Poland. The main hosts of the event were the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Marshall of Mazovian Voivoidship, and the Mayor of the City of Warsaw. About 500 participants and 52 000 visitors took part in the biggest Polish book fair.

The judicial year of the Court opened on 30 January 2009, officially marking the start of the Strasbourg Court’s 50th anniversary year. One hundred and fifty eminent figures from the European judicial scene attended a seminar organised for the occasion.

The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) today published its Third Round Evaluation Report on Poland. The report has been made public with the agreement of the country’s authorities. It focuses on two distinct themes: criminalisation of corruption and transparency of party funding.

A three-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly visits Minsk from 16 to 19 February to sound out the Belarusian authorities on the prospects for developing a constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe and its Assembly in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Council of Europe conference
"Democratisation of the Media in Belarus"
Warsaw, 6-7 June, 2008

The Conference of International NGOs of the Council of Europe (INGO’s) is holding a conference on Democratisation of the Mass Media in Belarus on 6-7 June in Warsaw, hosted by the Polish Parliament.

for Thomas Hammarberg
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights


31 May, 2008On 29 May, 2008 Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights, started a three day contact visit to Poland

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
on death of Irena Sendler"IRENA SENDLER - THE GOOD CONSCIENCE OF POLAND

The message that Irena Sendler had passed away brings a deeper sorrow.

European Conference
organized by
the Council of Europe
in co-operation with the Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Warsaw
Warsaw, 29-30 November 2007

Organized by the Office of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Information Office of the Council of Europe
Shalom Foundation and Polish Janusz Korczak Association
20 November 2007, 1:00 p.m.

Stop domestic violence against women

Information Office of the Council of Europe and Center for Women’s Rights Foundation kindly invite to the performance by Teatr Terapeutyczny which will be followed by a debate ”Combating domestic violence against women”.

the Council of Europe Pro merito medal

Strasbourg, 2 July, 2007
The Council of Europe awarded its Pro merito medal to Prof. Marek Safjan, the former President of the Polish Constitutional Court (1998-2006),

Warsaw, 29 June 2007

The Commissioner visited Poland to hold high-level meetings following his recent Memorandum on the Polish human rights situation. Mr. Hammarberg met with Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, and Ombudsman Janusz Kochanowski.

presents Memorandum on Poland

Strasbourg, 20.06.2007 - Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, today presented a Memorandum on Poland’s human rights record to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

Crossroads of European Histories
Multiple Outlooks on Five Key Moments in the History of Europe

Strasbourg, 2007
350 pp.
ISBN 978-92-871-6031-7

Photo competition
organized in the framework
of the "All different - All equal" Campaign
The competition is organized by the Information Office of the Council of Europe in Warsaw, the Center for Civic Education and the Office for Education of the Capital City of Warsaw.

Mediation in Administrative Matters
Warsaw, 23-24 April 2007
Conference organised by the Council of Europe in collaboration with the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw and with support of the Information Office of the Council of Europe in Warsaw.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising commemoration
19 April 2007

Did you know that before the Word War II over 30% of Warsaw citizens had a Jewish background? If there was no tragedy of Holocaust, 1/3 of our colleagues would now have that origin. We could listen to hip-hop songs in Yiddish on a radio, there would be for sure an action movie in that language too. The soccer team you cheer on would also have a number of Jewish players, either the soccer team you don't like…

On 20 March, Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, during his visit to Poland, paid his respects to Irena Sendler whom he visited in her residence. The meeting, organized by the Information Office of the Council of Europe

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights presents his viewpoint on lustration
Strasbourg, 19 March, 2007This article has also been published in Gazeta Wyborcza of 19 March, 2007
Countries moving from totalitarian rule to authentic democracy have to settle accounts with the past. Persons who committed gross human rights violations must of course be prosecuted and barred from holding public office.

IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

26 November 2006 Poland was granted special guest status by the Parliamentary Assembly in 1989 and became the 26th member state of the Council of Europe on 26 November 1991. In May 2005, during Poland's chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the 3rd Summit of the organization was held in Warsaw.

Article by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
published in Gazeta Wyborcza of 2 October, 2006.

A year ago, I was one of many people in Europe and around the world who thoroughly enjoyed the Polish riposte against the negative rhetoric in the run-up to the French Referendum on the European Union Constitution. The handsome Polish plumber telling the French that he was staying at home but inviting them to visit was a masterpiece of public relations and an effective response to xenophobic messages in France.

Warsaw in Europe

(15th Anniversary of Poland's Accession to the Council of Europe)The exhibition organized by the Information Office of the Council of Europe, the capital city of Warsaw and Warsaw University will be open to public from 29 September to 31 October 2006 in the lobby of the former Warsaw University Library Biulding (Warsaw, 26/28 Krakowskie Przedmiescie).

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
AGENDA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Warsaw, 23-24 June, 2006


International seminar organized by the Information Office of the Council of Europe in Warsaw in cooperation with the

Saturday, 13 May, 2006 Polish European Meetings, organized by the Polish Robert Schuman Foundation since 1994, provide an opportunity for pro-European circles from all over Poland to get in touch with each other on a regular basis. The objective of the Polish European Meetings is to promote the idea of civil society and encourage pro-European activities. One of the main events of the Meetings is the Schuman Parade gathering each year thousands of people from Poland and abroad.

On civil society involvement in building democracy
Warsaw, 24-26 March 2006

As a result of the 3rd Summit of the Council of Europe Heads of States and Governments (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005), the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe has

31 August, 2005
The path delineated by Solidarność has opened new civilization opportunities. The peaceful revolution of Solidarność, waged for the right to decent life and an individual development, crushed down the walls and crumbled the restraints of freedom. It triggered the real economic transformations in our Fatherland as in the whole...