The 2023 European “Crystal Scales of Justice” Prize, organised by the Council of Europe in order to reward innovative judicial practices within European institutions, was awarded on 4 October 2023 in Paris.
The Crystal Scales of Justice Prize aims to highlight European best practices within European judicial systems. For this year’s edition, 48 projects from 17 countries were submitted, focusing in particular on access to justice, the protection of victims, and digitalization of justice.
Members of the jury of the competition, which was composed of prominent personalities in the field of justice, were also at the ceremony to explain the jury’s choice. The Ministry of Justice of France, winner of the last edition of the Prize (2021), hosted the event.
Last week, Aleksandra Ivankovic, Deputy Director of VSE, was at the French Ministry of Justice in Paris to receive an award from the Council of Europe’s Commission for the Efficiency of Justice for the achievements of our Facility Dogs (FYDO) project. Over the past three years, an increasing number of jurisdictions have come to recognize that properly trained dogs can accomplish tasks that are challenging or rarely achievable for humans. Their silent and non-judgmental presence has proven to be transformative, particularly for traumatized victims, often children and survivors of sexual violence. We take immense pride in our four-legged, furry colleagues and eagerly anticipate the future successes of the FYDO project.
Photography: Dylan MARCHAL / Ministry of Justice
