Borders on trial. Three years war in Ukraine. Voices from Syria.
Newsletter
2025
What is this world becoming? Worse or better? We are living in a time when we cannot yet make a definitive judgment. Right now, in the midst of what appears to be a growing darkness, we are also witnessing events of epochal significance – such as in Syria, where a bloody regime has collapsed after more than 50 years.
In these times of great searching, human rights and the progressive application of the law provide a good compass on our journey into the uncharted. History teaches us that without enshrined rights, other principles have no substance – without human rights, humanism and solidarity live only in the imagination. These rights are universal; they apply everywhere.
At ECCHR, we try to navigate a crisis-ridden world with these values – along with legal acumen, a sober eye, and solidarity with the disenfranchised of these times. We do not overestimate ourselves. We do not always win in court, but we persevere and refuse to leave our world in the hands of demagogues, dictators and those who despise democracy.
In the words of Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Miriam Saage-Maaß at the annual kick-off meeting at ECCHR, January 2025.
