1) What is the role of the Council of Europe and when was it founded?
2) Who are its members and how many are they?
3) What is the difference between the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the Court of Human Rights?
4) What are your personal impressions after visiting the Council of Europe and attending the Parliamentary session?

(200 words)

1. The Council was set up to defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law, develop continent-wide agreements to standardize member countries' social and legal practices, and promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different cultures, since 1989.

2. The Council of Europe is the continent's oldest political organization, founded in 1949.
It groups together 46 countries, including 21 countries from Central and Eastern Europe, has a pending application from one additional country (Belarus), and has granted observer status to five other countries (the Holy See, United States, Canada, Japan and Mexico).

3. European Council: Regular meeting (at least twice a year) of the heads of state or government from the member states of the European Union for the purpose of planning Union policy.

European Parliament: The parliamentary body of the European Union which comprises 786 European Members of Parliament of the 25 European Union countries, elected by universal suffrage.

European Court of Human Rights: Based in Strasbourg, this is the only truly judicial organ established by the European Convention on Human Rights. It is composed of composed of one Judge for each State party to the Convention and ensures, in the last instance, that contracting states observe their obligations under the Convention. Since November 1998, the Court has operated on a full-time basis.

4. The creation of the Council of Europe in 1949 is great, justice is now ubiquitous and regulated since its creation around the world, it says to stop democracy from one or other