On 26 March 2021, a ceremony was organised at the offices of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations to present certificates to those participating in the training activities implemented by the Joint European Union/Council of Europe Project on “Strengthening the Capacity of Bar Associations and Lawyers on European Human Rights Standards”. During the ceremony, Attorney Ünsal Toker, Vice-President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and Cristian Urse, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Ankara presented certificates of participation to two participants attending the ceremony in person. As COVID-19 restriction measures did not allow for presence of all trainees, certificates of the 500th and 1000th participants were handed over as symbolically representative of all training attendees. All other participants received their certificates by post.

Intern Attornies Zübeyde Karaağaçlı and Mehmet Özalp received their certificates of participation and had an opportunity to share their views about the training programme with the representatives of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Council of Europe. UTBA Vice President and Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office shared their appreciation for the achievements of the project and expressed confidence in continued co-operation.

The Joint Project “Strengthening the Capacity of Bar Associations and Lawyers on European Human Rights Standards (SCoBAL)” is implemented by the Council of Europe, and co-funded by the European Union, the Republic of Turkey and the Council of Europe. The Union of Turkish Bar Associations is the end beneficiary of the Project. The Central Finance and Contracting Unit is the contracting authority.