On May 30, 2023, at the XXI Bolesław Prus High School in Łódź, after months of solid preparation, the PRAWO21 conference took place, sponsored by, among others, the KOLOROWO Foundation and the EU Phereclos project. The event was initiated by our students, and the topics they addressed covered various branches of law. Conference participants had the opportunity to supplement their knowledge on issues related to lawmaking, shortcomings in the Polish judicial system, as well as differences and conflicts between national and international law.
During the conference, four panels on law were discussed. Each panel was overseen by an expert in the respective field of law. A special event was a discussion with Adam Bodnar, the former Commissioner for Human Rights.
The panels covered the following topics:
- Equality before the law – led by Antoni Pyżalski and Julian Klepczarek (students of XXI LO in Łódź) – Expert: Piotr Kłys
- Principles of lawmaking – Michał Janiszewski and Stanisław Pąśko – Expert: Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Skotnicki
- Criminal proceedings – Natan Chwalewski and Hanna Brauncajs – Expert: Dr. Hab. Radosław Olszewski
- National law versus international law – Antoni Klepczarek and Szymon Urbańczyk – Expert: Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Skotnicki.
With the help of distinguished experts in their respective fields, we analyzed the principles guiding the enactment of new laws, expanding the topic to include the actions of ordinary citizens leading to the updating of the Constitution. After discussing the role of key EU bodies such as the CJEU, we debated the ongoing crisis of independence and other scandals indicating the decline of the rule of law, as well as the price we will have to pay for it.
After intensive deliberations, we also identified the cause of prolonged court proceedings. We considered each of the potential factors separately and reached a consensus on the actions that need to be taken to neutralize this problem. The panel “Equality before the law” caused particularly strong reactions. After examining relevant statistics, research, and current political scandals, along with an activated audience, we pondered whether the equality guaranteed in Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland truly functions or whether it is purely a theoretical construct, the absence of which harms each of us in its own way.
When the time allocated for panels elapsed, the guests proceeded to our meeting with Professor Adam Bodnar (since December 2024 – Minister of Justice). In addition to delivering a valuable lecture, Professor Bodnar answered all the audience’s intriguing questions, dispelling the latest legal doubts of those gathered
