One year ago on Saturday 11 January 2020 Judges for Judges participated in the Silent March of the Thousand Robes, in the defense of the Rule of Law, as European judges in solidarity with our Polish colleagues. It was a historical day.

Unfortunately the Rule of law situation in Poland is still grim. We therefore would like to share an initiative of Polish Judges Association Iustitia inviting judges, lawyers, prosecutors, legal counsels, notaries, but also citizens defending democracy and human rights to take part in this virtual relay race for the Rule of Law and covering at least a distance of 1 km running, marching, walking/Nordic walking, cycling or cross-country skiing. Please click ‘Continue reading‘ for the – simple – instructions.

Dear Friends!

January 11, 2021 marks the anniversary of a unique event – the Silent March of Thousand Robes.🎓 We all have taken part in it, standing together in defense of the rule of law. The march has showed that together we are strong and that we won’t hesitate to act together for the common good.

Today the global pandemic deprives us of a chance to meet directly. However, we all feel that 11 January should be “our day”. The march has united us and underlined the importance of the rule of law for the entire EU legal system. That’s why we invite you to the Staffel of the rule of law.

#theRuleofLawUnitesUs

Everyone may take part in this challenge: judges, lawyers, prosecutors, legal counsels, notaries, but also citizens defending democracy and human rights.

The event has a form of a virtual Staffel, during which participants symbolically pass each other a Light for the rule of law.

Polish participants have a choice of 5 virtual routes which start in different ends of Poland and all end in Warsaw. But it would be great if we managed to fullfill one European Path too.

 

Due to that we ask our European colleagues to fulfill one symbolic virtual route leading from Warsaw to Luxembourg. The route Warsaw-Luxemburg is 1324 km long. It is not necessary to cover the route directly as it goes on the map.

We invite all our friends to choose a convenient distance (minimum 1 km for 1 participant) and to beat this road:

🎗️wherever you are

🎗️whenever you choose (until 20 January 2021)

🎗️by running, marching, walking/Nordic walking, cycling or cross-country skiing.

Every participant is asked to:

🎗️ use one of route counting applications (Strava, Mapmyfitness, Google maps route) while running/walking/jogging/skiing/cycling,

🎗️take a picture of a covered route saved in the application and a photo of a participant and

🎗️send a photo at the following e-mail address: biuro@iustitia.pl, no later than 20 January 2021 at 12.00, together with information about

• the country in which a documented distance was overcome,
• the participant’s name (if the participant agrees to disclosure)
• the participant’s profession (judge, lawyer, prosecutor, solicitor, civil movements).

We will put all documented distances on the map and combine them into a virtual route from Warsaw to Luxembourg. We also would like to prepare a collage of photos sent by our European colleagues.

Today, due to pandemic, that’s the only way we can be together. However, in May 2021, to celebrate the International Day of Justice, we would like to prepare with a little help of our European friends a real sport event in a form of a Staffel which would lead from Warsaw to Bruxelles.

Welcome to the challenge!