With great pleasure, our Foundation awarded yesterday, for the 20th consecutive year, three scholarships to the students who distinguished themselves in the MFHR competition, for the attendance of Unit 1 “International Human Rights Law” of the 55th Summer Course on Human Rights. The programme will take place from 29.06.2026 to 10.07.2026 in Strasbourg and is organised by the René Cassin International Institute of Human Rights.

The awardees who stood out with their papers were Ms. Styliani- Kerthi Agisilaou for her paper entitled “Alternative Sentences to Deprivation of Liberty in Greece and Human Rights”, and Mr. Ioannis Karvelas and Mr. Nikitas Bithimitris for their papers entitled “Climate Change and Human Rights: Recent Judgments of the ECtHR”.

Ms. Agisilaou presented her paper, highlighting the need to decongest correctional facilities and to effectively implement alternative sanctions, promoting a penal model which, where possible, does not deprive the offender of liberty nor sever the ties with the community, while contributing to social reintegration and the more effective protection of human rights.

Subsequently, Mr. Karvelas, in his presentation, underlined the significance of the European Court of Human Rights’ trilogy of judgments – Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others, and Carême v. France – which have made particularly evident the close link between climate change and the protection of fundamental human rights.

Finally, Mr. Bithimitris, in his presentation, emphasized that the ECtHR has made significant progress in recent years in protecting against climate change through an evolving “green” jurisprudence, despite the absence of an explicit legal basis, while underlining the need for further development, particularly with regard to the recognition of the right to a healthy environment and the strengthening of state accountability.

The awards were presented by the MFHR President, Professor Linos-Alexandros Sicilianos.

The MFHR extends its warm congratulations to all participants and especially to the awardees, wishing them every success in their future academic and professional endeavours!