ABOUT ELSA

     ELSA (The European Law Students' Association) is an international, independent, non-political, non-profit-making organisation run by and for students. It is comprised of students and recent graduates who are interested in law and have demonstrated commitment to international issues.

     Law students from Austria , Hungary , Poland and West Germany founded ELSA in 1981. ELSA is today the world's largest independent law students association and it is represented in more than 200 law faculties in 37 countries across Europe with membership in excess of 25 000 students and young lawyers.



     OUR PHILOSOPHY

     Vision

     A just world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity.

     Purpose

     To contribute to legal education, to foster mutual understanding and to promote social responsibility of law students and young lawyers.

     Means

  • Providing opportunities for law students and young lawyers to learn about other cultures and legal systems in a spirit of critical dialogue and scientific co-operation.
  • Assisting law students and young lawyers to be internationally minded and professionally skilled.
  • Encouraging law students and young lawyers to act for the good of society.

 

     OUR NETWORK

     ELSA is a unique and growing network of more than 25 000 young people from more than 200 universities in 37 countries across Europe . ELSA currently has members and observers in: Austria , Belgium , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Bulgaria , Croatia , Czech Republic , Denmark , Estonia , Finland , France , Georgia , Germany , Greece , Hungary , Iceland , Ireland , Italy , Kazakhstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Republic of Macedonia , Malta , The Netherlands, Norway , Poland , Portugal , Romania , Russian Federation , Serbia and Montenegro , Slovak Republic , Slovenia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , Turkey , Ukraine and United Kingdom .

     Furthermore, ELSA co-operates with other student organisations across the world, for instance COLADIC in South America ( http://www.coladic.org/ ), ILSA in North America ( http://www.ilsa.org/ ), ALSA in Japan ( http://www.alsa-jp.net/ ), ALSA in Australia , ALSA in South Africa and AEJCI in Ivory Coast .

     OUR SPECIAL STATUS

     ELSA has through its activities and commitment within the international community gained a special status with several international institutions.

In 2000 ELSA was granted consultative status with the Council of Europe ( http://www.un.org ). Furthermore, ELSA has consultative status with several United Nations bodies; in 1997 ELSA obtained Special Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council - http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ecosoc/ ) and Consultative Status with UNCITRAL (UN Commission on International Trade Law - http://www.uncitral.org/ ), in 1994 ELSA was granted Consultative Status in Category C in UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - http://portal.unesco.org/ ). In addition, ELSA has a co-operation agreement with UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees - http://www.unhcr.ch/ ) and co-operates with ICRC (The International Committee of the Red Cross - http://www.icrc.org/ ) and all the European Institutions.