On Wednesday 13 November 2024, Luxembourg will take over the rotating six-month Presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, from current holders Lithuania.
The chairmanship/presidency of the Committee of Ministers is held for a six-month term in turn, by the representatives of the members, in English alphabetical order. The chairmanship/presidency is transferred from one Member State to the next in mid-May and mid-November, at a date fixed by the Committee based on a joint proposal by the incoming and outgoing Presidents.
The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation, and all Member States have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The European Court of Human Rights oversees the implementation of the Convention in the Member States.
At the handover ceremony, which will take place in Strasbourg, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, will present a report on Lithuania's Presidency. This will include a testimony from two Ukrainian women from Yahidne village in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine.
Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, will then present Luxembourg's priorities during the country's six-month Presidency.
As is tradition for all countries that take over the Presidency, the Luxembourg flag will be raised in the city centre of Strasbourg at 15:30. Prior to this, a tram in the Luxembourg colours will be inaugurated at the Droits de l'Homme train station.
