Liechtenstein has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1978.
Upon joining, the Principality, like the other 45 member states,
committed itself to taking over the chairmanship of the organisation's
Committee of Ministers on a rotating basis for six months at a time.
This will be the case from mid-November 2023 to mid-May 2024. During
this period, the annual meeting of the foreign ministers of the member
states will also take place under Liechtenstein's leadership.
The
special stamp "Plenum" (face value: CHF 1.80) issued on this occasion
shows a symbolic depiction of the hall of the Committee of Ministers,
with the other members gathered around the temporary chairman. Viewed as
a unit, the image forms an eye with Liechtenstein as the pupil -
vigilant and looking into the future.
The Council of Europe was
founded in 1949 and has its headquarters in the Palace of Europe in
Strasbourg, France. It is a forum for debate on general European issues.
Its statute provides for cooperation between member states to promote
economic and social progress. The organisation is not institutionally
linked to the European Union (EU).