News and events
Empowering the next generation of local leaders for a democratic Belarus
From 7 to 9 July 2026, 28 representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, as well as experts and the Congress Rapporteur for a democratic Belarus, Belinda Gottardi (Italy, SOC/G/PD), met in Strasbourg for the third edition of the workshop “Leaders for change: Promoting...
El Consejo de Europa pone el foco en la pena de muerte en Bielorrusia durante el Congreso Mundial en París
Un acto organizado por el Consejo de Europa aborda la defensa de la abolición junto con las fuerzas democráticas y la sociedad civil bielorrusa en el exilio
“En todas partes. En todas las circunstancias”: el secretario general Alain Berset sobre la abolición de la pena de muerte
El noveno Congreso Mundial contra la pena de muerte visibiliza los esfuerzos de las organizaciones para abolir la pena capital
Call for applications to participate in the Leaders for Change workshop
As part of its support to Belarusian democratic forces, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is launching the third edition of the workshop “Leaders for Change: promoting democracy and human rights at local level” on 7-9 July 2026 in Strasbourg, France,...
Democratic culture is the answer to authoritarianism in Belarus, says Congress Rapporteur
On 2 June 2026, the Congress Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus, Belinda Gottardi (Italy, SOC/G/PD), participated in the second Kościuszko Forum in Gdansk, co-organised by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland and the European Solidarity Centre. Speaking on a panel alongside Sviatlana...
El secretario general aborda los desafíos a la democracia y al Estado de derecho en su visita oficial a Lituania
Alain Berset también ha inaugurado el Punto de información para el pueblo bielorruso en Vilna
Lituania: el secretario general Alain Berset realizará una visita oficial
Las conversaciones se centrarán en el derecho internacional, la seguridad democrática y Ucrania, así como en la inauguración del punto de información del Consejo de Europa para la población bielorrusa
El Consejo de Europa impulsa el programa de igualdad y lucha contra la discriminación con las fuerzas democráticas y la sociedad civil bielorrusas
Debate en Varsovia sobre nuevas herramientas y compromisos reforzados
Council of Europe gender equality course now available in Belarusian
The Council of Europe's online course "Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming" is now available in Belarusian on the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) e-learning platform. Developed in 2023, the two-and-a-half-hour course introduces key concepts such as gender equality and...
El Consejo de Europa se compromete a seguir cooperando con las fuerzas democráticas y la sociedad civil bielorrusas
Nuevos proyectos previstos para los próximos dos años
Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies on 24-25 February 2026
At a special commemoration session on 24 February to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the Ministers’ Deputies reaffirmed their unwavering support to Ukraine and its people. They reiterated that the Russian Federation bears full responsibility for...
Congress concludes series of workshops to support future democratic local governance in Belarus
The Congress has completed a series of three online thematic workshops designed to support Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in their efforts to transform the local self-government system for a future democratic Belarus. The training programme was specifically dedicated to the...
Congress Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus meets Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in Poland
Congress Vice-President and Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD) carried out a study visit in Poland on 8-10 December 2025 to assess the situation of Belarusian democratic forces (BDF) and civil society in exile and their co-operation with local and regional...
Los líderes del Consejo de Europa celebran la liberación de presos políticos en Bielorrusia
Entre los liberados se encuentran Maria Kalesnikava y Ales Bialiatski
Congress initiates dialogue on local solutions to transnational repression against Belarusians in exile
On 29 October, on the sidelines of its 49th session, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities organised the side event “When passports become weapons: Local authorities’ response to transnational repression against Belarusians abroad”. The objective was to initiate a process towards the...
Congress initiates dialogue on local solutions to transnational repression against Belarusians in exile
On 29 October, on the sidelines of its 49th session, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities organised the side event “When passports become weapons: Local authorities’ response to transnational repression against Belarusians abroad”. The objective was to initiate a process towards the...
40 years of the European Charter of Local Self-Government: Congress session opens in Strasbourg Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
“Our session is taking place at a special moment, the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. This Charter, ratified by the 46 member countries of the Council of Europe, has established the provisions that must be respected in order for local self-government to be...
Side event of the Congress session: Panel discussion with Belarus Democratic Forces
During the its 49th session, the Congress is organising a panel discussion with the delegation of Belarus democratic forces on Wednesday 29 October from 12:45 to14:00 in Room 10 of the Palais de l’Europe, in English. The panel discussion, under the theme “When passports become weapons: Local...
Side event of the Congress session: Panel discussion with Belarus Democratic Forces
During the its 49th session, the Congress is organising a panel discussion with the delegation of Belarus democratic forces on Wednesday 29 October from 12:45 to14:00 in Room 10 of the Palais de l’Europe, in English. The panel discussion, under the theme “When passports become weapons: Local...
Día Mundial y Europeo contra la Pena de Muerte, 10 de octubre: declaración conjunta de la alta representante de la Unión Europea y del secretario general del Consejo de Europa
La Unión Europea (UE) y el Consejo de Europa reafirman con fuerza su oposición inequívoca a la pena de muerte, en todos los casos y circunstancias. Más de dos tercios de países del mundo han abolido la pena de muerte en la legislación o en la práctica. En 2024, celebramos la abolición de la pena...