“The Congress is active on a wide range of anti-discrimination issues, fighting intolerance and strengthening human rights delivery in municipalities and regions,” underlined Martine Dieschburg-Nickels (Luxembourg, ILDG), Deputy Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights of the Congress, addressing the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in Strasbourg on 2 July 2026.

“The Congress Human Rights Strategy, adopted in the aftermath of the Reykjavik Summit, has given new impetus to the Congress' action in promoting and protecting the rights and values that ECRI defends,” she said, emphasising the importance of close co-operation.

”The Congress report on the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights at local and regional levels is a key example, showing the crucial role that local and regional authorities can play in upholding human rights, including those covered by ECRI’s standards.”

The Deputy Standing Rapporteur also presented recent Congress action in other areas relating to the fight against discrimination, including combating antisemitism, protecting the rights of LGBTI persons, countering hate speech and securing social justice through full and effective access to social rights.