Council of Europe education pack “Rights and Freedoms in practice”

„47 countries and one organisation… The Council of Europe”

Council of Europe education pack “Rights and Freedoms in practice”

On behalf of the Council of Europe, the European Foundation of Human Rights has produced the Polish and Lithuanian edition of the education pack “Rights and freedoms in practice”, which offers an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the European Convention on Human Rights and the workings of the European Court of Human Rights.

We hope that this human rights education pack “Rights and freedoms in practice” will provide useful resource material to both teachers and students.

If you are interested in receiving this human rights education pack please contact the Foundation.

“I consider it very difficult to see how this concept of human rights can be given real and definite substance. To my mind, the solution hinges on the idea of civil society. […] In fact, civil society is the citizen taking part in public affairs, knowing his rights and how to fight for them […]”

Bronislaw Geremek, Council of Europe, 2007*

We have to be constantly vigilant with respect to human rights as they can very quickly be eroded, in Europe and elsewhere. Human rights are everyone’s business and this is especially true for young people; teachers have a vital role to play in bringing this message home to them. If they are to be able to build a human-rights-based society, young people need to understand the mechanisms through which these rights become meaningful, and in particular the international treaty under which the Council of Europe member states are committed to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms: the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

These worksheets, which are both theoretical and practical, are a dynamic resource to help teachers foster an awareness of human rights among their pupils.

The “theory” section describes, in simplified terms, the Convention and the way the European Court of Human Rights operates. It also explains what the Council of Europe does. Nine activity sheets, each one focusing on a particular article of the Convention, are designed to get pupils thinking about the rights that must be guaranteed in a democratic society.

The “practical” section suggests various human-rightsrelated analysis, research and discussion exercises and activities. The various simplified “case studies” are designed to enable pupils to become familiar with legal issues and to understand how the Court operates.

The teaching resources contained in this pack will enable young people, helped by their teachers, to be in a better position to acquire practical knowledge of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe.

available in PDF:

Polish	Lithuania	French	German

Italian	Russian	Albanian	Turkish

English

„47 countries and one organisation… The Council of Europe”

On request of the Council of Europe, the European Foundation for Human Rights has prepared a Polish and a Lithuanian version of the Council of Europe’s another educational brochure entitled „47 countries and one organisation… The Council of Europe”. The brochure has been prepared for young people mainly, so that they can become acquainted with the key issues with which the Council of Europe is concerned, and in particulars with respect for democracy, justice, democratic citizenship, sport without violence, nature, culture, and health care. Each topic has been presented in a clear and practical way. Moreover, the reader has the list of 47 member countries together with their capital cities and flags.

Nowadays, it can seem difficult to teach young people complicated and challenging issues such as human rights, democracy and the structure of Europe. However, in the form of an educational brochure, the information about these topics is easily accessible even for children.

Although the brochure was prepared mainly for children, it can be a really valuable educational help for teachers who want to give their students knowledge about the world around them.

We hope that the „47 countries and one organisation… The Council of Europe” will be useful for all readers who are interested in European matters and in the protection of human rights.

Those who would like to receive the free brochure should contact the Foundation.

* Bronislaw Geremek, The Council of Europe’s role in unifying the continent, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 21 February 2007, available at: www.ena.lu.