The News (Site updated Friday, January 9, 2009 | 17:30)
Intercultural Dialogue: Italy and Rome join forces with the Council of Europe
[09/01/2009 09:30:00] To mark the publication in Italian of the ''White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue'', a press conference will be held on Thursday 15 January at 11 am in the Camera dei Deputati (Chamber of Deputies) in Rome. The White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, entitled ''Living Together As Equals in Dignity'', was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on 7 May 2008, after a wide-ranging consultation process involving the governments of the Organisation's 47 member states. It was translated into Italian and produced by the Italian Ministry of Culture in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Middle East
Parliamentary Assembly Bureau calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
[09/01/2009 14:00:00] ''The Assembly Bureau fully supports the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on 8 January. It calls for an immediate ceasefire to be respected by all sides. Both sides must understand that violence, destruction and death will only lead to more violence and death.''
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Statement by Lluís Maria de Puig
[05/01/2009 16:00:00] The President of the Parliamentary Assembly called on 29 December for an end to all violence in Gaza. He condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by the Hamas movement and the air strikes by Israel on Gaza leading to a disproportionate number of casualties.
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Statement by Terry Davis
[05/01/2009 16:00:00] ''I am shocked by the lack of concern for the fate of the civilian population caught in the renewed fighting in the Middle East'' declared the Secretary General on 31 December. He condemns both the decision of Hamas to end the ceasefire, and the excessive use of force by Israel.
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''Crystal Scales of Criminal Justice'' Prize: call for applications
[08/01/2009 16:00:00] The success of the ''Crystal Scales of Justice'' Prize in the civil justice field led the Council of Europe and the European Commission to also establish a prize in the criminal justice area. The ''Crystal Scales of Criminal Justice'' will be awarded for innovative practices contributing to the quality of criminal justice. Applications for 2009 must be submitted by 1 March 2009 and meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the rules of the competition.
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The European Commission takes over Observatory Chairmanship for 2009
[07/01/2009 11:00:00] The European Commission has taken over, from January 2009, the yearly rotating Chairmanship of the European Audiovisual Observatory’s Executive Council. Set up by a Council of Europe partial agreement, the Observatory collects and distributes information and data on the audiovisual industries in Europe.
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Anti-torture Committee visits Bulgaria
[05/01/2009 11:00:00] A delegation of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out an ad hoc visit to Bulgaria from 15 to 19 December.
Photo: Gamma(more ...)
''Building a Europe for and with Children'' Website
2009: Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe
[23/12/2008 09:30:00] ''The Council of Europe was created 60 years ago with the aim of achieving greater unity between its members. The coming year, 2009, is an opportunity to mark this anniversary and to look towards the future and the challenges it brings'', stated Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, Lluís Maria De Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, and Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
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Congress
Congress rapporteurs on official visit to Turkey
[08/01/2009 16:30:00] Anders Knape and Herwig van Staa, Rapporteurs of the Congress, will visit Ankara from 12 to 14 January, to examine the situation of local and regional democracy in Turkey, the extent to which the European Charter of Local Self-Government is implemented, as well as to obtain additional information regarding the situation of certain mayors in the country’s South-East.
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Yavuz Mildon: ''2008 was truly the year of the Congress’ renewal''
[22/12/2008 10:30:00] Summing up the Congress’ work at the end of 2008, President Yavuz Mildon underlined that ''the year 2008 was truly one of renewal for the Congress – the renewal of its membership, of its leadership and of its commitment to strengthening and deepening local and regional democracy on our continent, improving democratic governance of our communities and consolidating the framework for a new, ''citizen environment'' in our cities and our regions''.
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Thomas Hammarberg: ''Discrimination against transgender persons must no longer be tolerated''
[05/01/2009 11:30:00] ''Transgender persons encounter severe problems in their daily lives as their identity is met with insensitivity, prejudice or outright rejection'' said the Commissioner for Human Rights in his 'Viewpoint' on 5 January.
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Secretary General
Terry Davis: Lighting the Flame of Peace
[23/12/2008 09:30:00] Speaking in Strasbourg on 22 December, the Secretary General spoke of his pleasure at taking part, for the third time, in lighting the flame of peace - the light of Hanukkah. Such gatherings would hold a special place in his memories of Strasbourg. The light chased away darkness and fear. It enabled us to see, to understand and to accept others. The light brought people together and symbolised tolerance between persons of good will. This was the profoundly humanist message of Hanukkah, and it was a great honour for him to participate in this ceremony.
Speech [FR]
Terry Davis: new lustration law in Albania
[23/12/2008 10:30:00] ''The new lustration law seems to have been pushed through the Albanian parliament in haste. This did not leave enough time to its supporters to explain why such a law is necessary almost two decades after the fall of the communist regime. The time factor alone is a ground for concern that the law will cause more injustice than it will repair'', déclared the Secretary General, on 23 December.
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Fight against discrimination: Strasbourg poster campaign
[12/12/2008 15:00:00] To draw attention to the Council of Europe’s new anti-discrimination campaign 'Speak out against discrimination,' in the run-up to the end-of-year holidays, there will be more than 125 campaign posters displayed throughout Strasbourg.
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Break the silence on domestic violence (2008)
Search the news 
Parliamentary Assembly Bureau calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
Statement by Lluís Maria de Puig
Statement by Terry Davis
''Crystal Scales of Criminal Justice'' Prize: call for applications
The European Commission takes over Observatory Chairmanship for 2009
Anti-torture Committee visits Bulgaria
''Speak-out against discrimination''
''Stop domestic violence against women''
Dosta! ''Fight prejudices towards Roma''
''All Different, All Equal''
''Building a Europe for and with Children''
2009: Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe
Yavuz Mildon: ''2008 was truly the year of the Congress’ renewal''
Thomas Hammarberg: ''Discrimination against transgender persons must no longer be tolerated''
Fight against discrimination: Strasbourg poster campaign
