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The Council of Europe (CE) has for a long time slumbered in the shadow of its little sister the European

Union and its achievements in terms of common economic, foreign, monetary and other policies. With the question of a possible Turkish accession with all its implications, imposing itself on the political agenda and in the newspapers, the "ancient Europe" is seeking new answers. For numerous politicians, the Council of Europe seems to become more and more a role model for EU, where Turkey has been a member state since 1949. As public interest in the Council of Europe is increasing, this should be a good opportunity to see how that institution can be/is helpful for the Humanist cause.

To understand how the CE functions, it is necessary to go back to its historical roots. Founded after the Second World War, the CE’s first priority was and still is the stabilization of peace and democracy in its Member States and throughout the world (Human Rights Charter) by promoting Human Rights, culture and education. This is why Germany was associated with the CE as early as in 1950. Since then, it has increased its number of members, two big accession waves having been shortly after 1989 with the end of the cold war until 2003, when the last states of Ex-Yugoslavia entered. It has now 46 member states where are represented all kinds of different religions and forms of states most of the time in a harmonious and peaceful balance.

The CE has four main political pillars with different and – one must admit - varying powers. The  ommittee

of Ministers (CM) represents all Foreign ministers of its members and is their direct link to governments. It

liaises the Parliamentary Assembly’s (PACE) decisions, i.e. recommendations and conventions, to the respective states. PACE is composed of 630 parliamentarians delegated from their governments. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLARAE) unites representatives with a deep knowledge of local and regional needs and priorities.

In addition to these different colleges of representative democracy, the CE gives civil society the possibility to make itself heard by giving NGOs, which are representative in their field of action, participatory status. NGOs had until 2004 the possibility to acquire Consultative Status which in their opinion gave them few possibilities in interactive decision-making as they had a rather passive role as consultants. Since January 2004, their status has been upgraded and NGOs have now the official recognition and rights to proactively engage political action in the CE. The Council of Europe is the only intergovernmental organization to give to NGOs such enhanced co-operation opportunity, the participatory status.

IHEU the only Humanist Organisation at the CE

IHEU as the only world-wide Humanist organization has been co-operating with CE almost since 60 years.

Together with around 400 accredited NGOs, IHEU, represented by Alexandre Marius Dees de Sterio, participates at plenary sessions, working group meetings (especially those on "Human Rights", "Education and Culture", "North-south dialogue and solidarity" and "Civil society"), Integrated Projects and other political activities.

The NGO’s Liaison Committee could be described as a governing board, partially elected every three years, cocoordinating ten thematic groupings and – as the name says – liaising between the different NGOs and the CE. One of CE’s priorities for the coming years being the focus on youth (education,  participation), the Liaison Committee decided in 2004 to mandate a Youth Representative that would represent the NGOs at the concerned CE-body, the Advisory Council on Youth.

Youth Activities

Having assisted Alexandre Marius, IHEU’s Representative, in some of his numerous representation duties at the Council of Europe for the last three years, i.e. during his recently finished mandate (2003) in the Liaison Committee, I was appointed the first Youth Representative in June 2004. Besides the function as observer at the Advisory Council on Youth, there are different ways of actively backing youth work of the CE. For example, during some months, I helped organize, in cooperation with the Directorate General for Political Affairs and the Directorate for Youth and Sports, a first youth training course on behalf of the Liaison Committee, which took place in November 2004 and aimed at encouraging young people to activate in civil society by improving their "Leadership skills and interaction with public authorities", as the course name went. During one week, 20 young and dynamic NGO representatives from all over Europe stayed in Strasbourg and worked together, deciding to continue to bring out the message of active participation in politics out to their countries. The youth training course was a great success and promises to have its fruits in future, both for the CE and for IHEU. Frederik Dezutter of IHEYO was offered an opportunity to participate on IHEU’s recommendation. I had the occasion to talk to young multipliers from the most different fields of action and backgrounds as for example with a Norwegian lawyer from Brussels, a Bulgarian intellectual worker, a Slovak representative of an NGO defending people with mental problems etc. Amongst all these people the Humanist issue found a fertile ground to grow and expand on.

I think that this example is just one out of many how we can work together, get the backing and help of institutions, such as the Council of Europe, to spread knowledge of and access to the most fundamental rights of freedom of conscience, expression – freedom to live a decent life. Let’s go and strengthen Humanism!

Silvia Geise is member of IHEU’s NGO delegation at the

Council of Europe