Category: News

News

Professor Piotr Hofmański Receives Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Białystok

We are truly pleased and proud to announce that the Foundation’s Sunflowers ambassador, Professor Piotr Hofmański, has been awarded a doctor honoris causa degree by the University of Białystok. Congratulations Professor! Watch the video here. Read more here.

Photos: Łukasz Nowicki / UwB

News

Foundation Sunflowers Presents the 2024 Activity Report

We proudly present Foundation Sunflowers 2024 Activity Report!
 
Read the full raport here.
News

Professor Piotr Hofmański Awarded Honorary Doctorate by the University of Gdansk

We are truly pleased and proud to announce that the Foundation’s Sunflowers ambassador, Professor Piotr Hofmański, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Gdansk. Congratulations Professor! Watch the video here. Read more here and here.

Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine. Joint Efforts to Make It Happen. Post-conference report.
News

Summary Report from “Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine Joint Efforts to Make it Happen” Conference

The Post-Conference Report is Here!

We are pleased to share the report featuring key recommendations for the Ministry of Justice, emphasizing the necessity of a comprehensive and integrated approach to establishing accountability mechanisms for international crimes and support systems for victims. The conference participants and organizers have expressed their commitment to ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and state institutions to implement the proposed recommendations and further develop initiatives aimed at securing full access to justice for victims of international crimes.

On 13 of November, 2024, Foundation Sunflowers together with Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights organised a conferance on Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine. Join Efforts to Make It Happen. Honorable patronage was held by the Ministry of Justice. Organising the conference was supported by the Partners of Foundation Sunflowers: the National Chamber of Legal Advisers, Wolters Kluwer Polska, as well as the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), of which the Foundation is a member. In addition, an important contribution to the organisation of the conference was made by the EU Pravo-Justice Project, which has been working with Foundation Sunflowers since the beginning of Project Sunflowers. 

The conference was organized in response to the growing need for the exchange of knowledge and experiences regarding international criminal law standards and their implementation within the Polish justice system. The conference aimed to initiate:
  • Coordination of initiatives focused on prosecuting international crimes committed in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine,
  • A holistic approach to justice that considers the rights and needs of victims (a victim-/survivor-centered approach)
News

Foundation Sunflowers Partners with the Law Institute at KNEU

We are excited to share that the Foundation Sunflowers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Law Institute at the Kiev National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman. This collaboration aims to foster research and dialogue on international law, bringing together experts from various academic institutions, civil society organizations, and judicial bodies.

News

Foundation Sunflowers Calls for Unconditional Support of the International Criminal Court in Light of U.S. Measures

In view of the measures imposed today by the U.S. on the International Criminal Court, its officials, staff, all those who support the Court in exercising international justice, Foundation Sunflowers has sent an open letter to Mr. Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, and Mr. Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of Poland, calling for unconditional support of the Court.

News

Foundation Sunflowers Signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for the Study of International Crimes at the University of Warsaw

We are thrilled to announce that the Foundation Sunflowers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for the Study of International Crimes at the University of Warsaw. This centre was established in December 2022. Its mission is to take an active position in the ongoing scientific discussion on international crimes and to create a platform for cooperation between experts from different research centres, civil society organizations and judicial bodies.
News

Defending Justice: Global Opposition to U.S. Sanctions Against the ICC

More than 140 NGOs, including Project Sunflowers, strongly oppose U.S. sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC). These sanctions threaten the court’s independence, obstruct justice for victims of serious international crimes, and undermine global accountability efforts. The coalition urges ICC member states to condemn these actions, protect the court from political interference, and strengthen cooperation to ensure the ICC can continue its vital work.

Read more about it here: https://coalitionfortheicc.org/oppose-sanctions-against-ICC-safeguard-victims-access-justice

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Position of the Coalition of Victims, Survivors and Witnesses (KOOS) regarding the Resolution of the Council of Ministers on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp

Project Sunflowers, together with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and The Polish Center For Torture Survivors, calls on the Council of Ministers of Poland to respect its international obligations.

News

Dr. Yevheniia Bondarenko Joins the Sunflowers Foundation Board

We are proud to announce that the Board of the Sunflowers Foundation has been strengthened with the addition of Dr. Yevheniia Bondarenko!
 
Dr Yevheniia Bondarenko is a legal expert with over 17 years of experience specializing in human rights, rule of law, and support for vulnerable populations. She is specialised on providing legal support and advocacy for the protection of rights of women, minors and persons with disabilities. She has created targeted training materials to effectively support vulnerable groups, including victims of CRVS, gender-based violence, internally displaced persons, and children. Her extensive background encompasses both academic research and the practical implementation of legal frameworks, focusing on judicial reform and legal education.
 
Dr. Bondarenko has a proven track record in project development and management, capacity building, and ensuring compliance with EU and international standards. Within Ukraine’s judiciary, she is specialized in establishing services, training judges and court staff on gender-based violence and civil registration issues and disseminating EU practices. Moreover, Dr. Bondarenko as a part of evaluation team has produced comprehensive report and actionable recommendations for the OHCHR and the Government of Ukraine to enhance HRMMU’s effectiveness, with a particular focus on gender, disability, and human rights.