who we are
We are participating in a war of civilization. At stake is the future of our families, our homeland, our faith, and our entire European and Christian culture—affirming the dignity of every human being, full of love for freedom, and standing on the side of truth, goodness, beauty, and justice. The law is one of the key instruments in this war.
Who we are
The Ordo Iuris Institute is an independent legal think tank that, over the years of its activities, has built an international reputation as one of the key centers for defending a legal culture grounded in the identity of European civilization, raised on the pillars of Greek philosophy, Roman law, and Christian ethics.
At a time when basic rights are being distorted and the idea of human rights is being instrumentalized, we uphold their true meaning and purpose. We uphold the legal and social order and defend those persecuted for their commitment to values derived from natural law.
We fight for the respect of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution—the right to life, the identity of marriage and family, and freedom of conscience. We combine analytical and litigation activities and are present in the public debate both in Poland and internationally. As a result, our activities are not only professional and substantive, but also effective.
The statutory objectives of the Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture include conducting research on legal culture, including conducting and supporting scientific research and popularizing it through the organization of lectures, symposia, discussion meetings, and conferences. One of the forms of the Institute’s involvement in proceedings pending before national and international courts is to take the position of amici curiae.
Ordo Iuris has intervened as a third party in Polish and international court and administrative proceedings, including before the Polish Supreme Court, the European Committee of Social Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. Ordo Iuris has had the honour of being permitted by the presidents of the European Court of Human Rights to make written observations in numerous cases, inter alia, Bodnariu v. Norway (n° 73890/16), Annen v. Germany (n°70693/11), Rabczewska v. Poland (n° 8257/13), and Cupiał v. Poland (n° 67414/11).
The Ordo Iuris Institute has submitted its opinions upon the request of the Venice Commission, the Monitoring Committee of the PACE and the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament. It has also formally provided opinions to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the PACE, the UN Human Rights Council, as well as supreme courts and constitutional tribunals of numerous countries such as Brazil, Chile and Croatia.
Ordo Iuris is accredited by the European Parliament (registered under n° 206499215012-94) and participates actively in the decision-making process of laws. Moreover, Ordo Iuris has ECOSOC consultative status with the United Nations.
Fully aware of the social marginalization and discrimination faced by certain social groups, the Ordo Iuris Institute undertakes its statutory activities to promote the achievements of Polish constitutional law by acting, among other things, for the protection of constitutional values and human freedoms—especially freedom of religion and attachment to Polish national heritage—as well as Polish legal culture (§ 7 point 7 of the Statute of the Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture Foundation).
