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Strasbourg debate addresses exposure to social media, well-being, and policy responses to mitigate risks
Social media and children’s mental health: right answers are rarely black and white
Any policy decisions about access of children to social media should be guided by a children’s rights approach, informed by the latest research and, most importantly, by children’s voices. With many countries reviewing their legislation on children’s access to social media, the participants of a...
Deadline extension to register: 8 June 2026
Join us for the Public Hearing on the Reykjavik Parameters for Democracy -registration deadline extended!
Are you interested in safeguarding Europe’s democratic security? Do you wish to hear from experts what safeguards are needed to uphold democracy, the rule of law and human rights as protection against democratic backsliding? Join the Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM) on this public online...
Final day for registration: Hack the Hate, Renew Democracy!
Second edition of Council of Europe Hackathon seeks technological solutions to combat online hate speech
Annual Session of the Committee of Ministers encourages the use of the Reykjavik Parameters for Democracy
On 15 May 2026, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the 46 Council of Europe member states held their annual session in Chișinău (Republic of Moldova). Among the decisions adopted, Foreign Minister made a resolved call to strengthen democratic resilience in face of current challenges to Europe’s...
Council of Europe conference sees sport as stabilising factor for society
Growing use and availability of performance and image-enhancing substances is a public health risk
Doping is no longer limited to elite sport. Performance- and image-enhancing substances have become widely used in recreational sport and fitness environments. The demand for such drugs is increasing, driven by social-media culture, body-image pressures, and facilitated by easy online access and...
Balancing risks and opportunities for human rights in new digital technologies
Council of Europe at the 2026 European Dialogue on internet governance
The Council of Europe has participated in the 2026 European Dialogue on internet governance (EuroDIG), an open, multi-stakeholder platform for exchanging views on regulating and governing the digital world. The event took place on 26 and 27 May in Brussels. Under the New Democratic Pact for...
Join us for the Public Hearing on the Reykjavik Parameters for Democracy
Are you interested in safeguarding Europe’s democratic security? Do you wish to hear from experts what safeguards are needed to uphold democracy, the rule of law and human rights as protection against democratic backsliding? Join the Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM) on this public...
Launch of the resource webpage “Strengthening Democratic Resilience through Youth Engagement and Deliberative Democracy”
The Council of Europe Youth Department has launched a dedicated webpage for the materials resulting from the capacity-building and awareness-raising event series „Strengthening Democratic Resilience through Youth Engagement and Deliberative Democracy”. The collection currently includes the...
Human Rights in Immersive Realities: Council of Europe conference explores the implications of XR for democracy and human rights
On 18-19 May 2026, the Council of Europe hosted the conference Human Rights in Immersive Realities (XR): Freedom of Expression, Justice, Children’s Rights and Well-Being in Strasbourg, under the auspices of the Monaco Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. The event brought together...
Article author: Vilnius University
Council of Europe Secretary General: Europe Must Not Choose Between Security and Democracy
‘In times of rupture, Europe must answer with democratic security, with law, institutions, and a society strong enough to defend its own future,’ said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset in a lecture delivered at Vilnius University (VU). During the event, he introduced the New...