“Faced with the sheer scale of the refugee crisis, we may feel helpless, or we may consider it as an opportunity to change things. Don’t forget, in 1956, in the space of a few days, Austria took in 200 000 Hungarians and 150 000 Germans. By 1957, half of these people had found new homes in Europe”, said Thorbjørn Jagland, Council of Europe Secretary General, addressing the 29th session of the Congress on 20 October 2015. “We can do the same thing, provided we are well organised and all levels - European, national and local - are involved”, he stressed. He referred to the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights which “apply to all citizens, including refugees or undocumented migrants, as soon as they set foot in Europe”. The Secretary General also emphasised the need to counter extremist movements of whatever persuasion, radical Islam or extreme right wing. “It is important to take concrete action at local level, but not only at that level. European leaders must condemn these excesses and interact with the local and regional levels”, he added.
