The Kyoto Protocol as the Framework Convention on Climate Change is a milestone in the formation and development of the climate change regime that is aimed at controlling global warming by the international community. But besides that this international agreement also became a factor that created new circumstances and opportunities for international cooperation. These circumstances were created for all the participants of the regime: the states, the non-governmental organizations on behalf of the societies and the business organizations as well as the corporations. The Kyoto Protocol became a catalyst for international cooperation between these international relations’ actors at all stages of its existence: the negotiation process, the ratifi cation of it and its implementation, leading to the establishment of new political, social and especially economic ties.

Various social, political and economic contexts give rise to visibly different concepts of security and these differences make one ponder on the limitations of traditional concepts of democratization and political development. Scientists, politicians and activists are now ever more boldly beginning to ask difficult but necessary questions about the appropriate dynamics of the processes of creating security and about the priorities adopted within them, searching for ways on which these processes could be co-created by traditional, local visions of needs of citizens’ safe life. The review of scholarly literature and political journalism addressing security points out new spheres of debates and subjects of controversy within this discipline. In a situation where in security-related processes governments cannot be the only ones that dominate, a question about the possibility of expanding activities with non-governmental organizations arises.

Praca stanowi podsumowanie rozważań związanych z tematem profilaktyki presuicydalnej prowadzonej w grupach wiekowych w okresie późnej dorosłości. Od 2016 r. realizowany jest projekt „Dobre Życie UMCS” w Lublinie mający na celu zwiększenie świadomości odnośnie aktów autodestrukcji w cywilizacji XXI w. Istnieje wiele instytucji, które zajmują się losem osób starszych, jedną z inicjatyw jest działalność Stowarzyszania „mali bracia Ubogich”. Zauważono, że w okresie późnej dorosłości problemy dotyczące trudności społecznych, psychicznych, adaptacyjnych i innych są znaczące. Wiele osób starszych zgłaszało się na konsultacje psychologiczne i po pomoc, uznając, że nie mają wsparcia wśród najbliższych. To główny powód dlaczego seniorzy podejmują współpracę z różnymi organizacjami jako beneficjenci lub wolontariusze. Z wywiadów ustrukturyzowanych (n=91) wynika, że wielu z nich czuje, że są samotni i niepotrzebni. Natomiast działalność w organizacjach zrzeszających osoby starsze pomagają im w tym, aby czuły sięwartościowe, a ich aktywność ma duży wpływ na środowisko lokalne. Praca ma zatem charakter teoretyczno-praktyczny. W artykule zostanie dodany jeden ze studium przypadku, który przeprowadzony był z kobietą 60+, mieszkającą w dużej miejscowości, po próbie samobójczej.

Selected aspects of formal and non-formal education in shaping society’s awareness of security

Based on theoretical considerations and analyzing practical activities implemented in the area of shaping public awareness of security, the article attempts to characterize educational entities, non-governmental organizations and uniformed services that have the most significant impact on the issues discussed. The aim of the article is to present the process of transferring knowledge, shaping skills and competences in the area of security through institutional education and the activity of all entities operating in the process of shaping human security. The article presents a modern and comprehensive approach to the implementation of tasks in the field of education for security, the essence of cooperation between formal and non-formal education and its role in shaping the public awareness of security, taking into account its interdisciplinarity. It was pointed out that the condition for building a strong state security system is the education of an aware society, prepared to react to events with the features of a crisis.

The aim of the paper is to present the specificity of work of young volunteers in the service of children in the pandemic (types of activities they undertake, problems and benefits they and their pupils experience). The first part of the text presents theoretical assumptions of social and educational support for children. Volunteering in the pandemic in Poland in the third sector has been covered based on the latest research results and the activities of the Dialog Foundation in Białystok. The second part of the text shows methodological assumptions of qualitative research, which was conducted using the method of individual cases in March 2021 among volunteers of the Dialog Foundation. Chosen research results concerning the social and educational support provided to children during the pandemic by young volunteers have been showed. In the light of the results of my research, social and educational support provided to Foundation’s pupils by volunteers is of great importance in their daily functioning during the pandemic, prevents school failures and reduces the feeling of loneliness. The results of the research may hopefully contribute to the development of educational research in regard to the functioning of volunteering in aid of children with educational and social deficits.

The purpose of this article is to present the results of the research on the issues discussed in the educational initiatives undertaken by Polish non-governmental organizations. The results of the scientific explorations presented in the paper are the outcome of the PhD research project Intercultural Non-formal Education in Poland on the Example of Non-governmental organizations activity. The project included surveying 65 leaders of different non-governmental organizations from three cities with different cultural make-ups, i.e. Bialystok, Poznan and Warsaw. The study was conducted in 2010 – 2012 according to the eclectic research approach, which allowed gathering quantitative and qualitative data. Based on the analysis of the empirical material, the author of the article presents: the issues tackled in the initiatives carried out by Polish non-governmental organizations, the structure of their implementation and the types of activities undertaken (in view of the issues analysed). An outline of the research problems precedes the discussion on the research results.

The Contribution of the Nuremberg Tribunal to the Formation of the Standards of International Law on Criminal Organizations

The article examines the contribution of the Nuremberg tribunal in the formation of modern international law on criminal organizations. The methodological basis of the study is a systematic analysis of international law on liability for international crimes, the use of comparative law, formal law and other methods, historical analysis of the origin and development of liability for international crimes, generalization of a wide range of normative and practical materials. The evolution of the responsibility of non-governmental organizations that committed international crimes in the period after the Nuremberg Trials is analyzed, in particular the trends and factors that influenced the development of the concept of international criminal responsibility. In characterizing evolution in international law, it is advisable to consider not all changes in international law, but only those that indicate qualitative improvement. The evolution of international law, like all development, is always objective. The enshrinement of the principle of international criminal responsibility in the Statute of the Nuremberg Tribunal constitutes a protective function, which is expressed in the direct application of the norms of international criminal law and international humanitarian law. The development of international law governing the jurisdiction of criminal organizations does not stop. It is noted that with the development of legal certainty of the status of non-governmental organizations, the principles set out in the decisions of the Nuremberg Tribunal on the responsibility of individuals and legal entities under public law for crimes against humanity are developing. The main trends in the development of international criminal law, including the liability of non-state legal entities under public and private law. It is determined that in the period after the Nuremberg Trials, the main direction in the legal definition of liability for war crimes was the development of norms and mechanisms of criminal liability. Criticism of Russian researchers’ views on the responsibility for international crimes of non-governmental organizations committed in other countries, who believe that non-governmental organizations in this case can not be recognized as criminal organizations. It is stated that international law does not contain a clear line between formally defined organizations - legal entities recognized as subjects of national law, and criminal groups, whose legal status can be recognized from the standpoint of the decisions of the Nuremberg tribunal. International legal norms on this issue should be devoted to identifying the criminal nature of the group and the establishment of criminal consequences for members of the criminal group. Dissemination of international legal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity committed during armed conflicts of international and non-international nature, the modern concept of international humanitarian law.

Civil society in Poland after 1989 – dynamics, evaluation and development forecasts

The development of civil society in Poland was one of the goals of the political transformation in 1989. Since then, Polish interest in social issues has grown, although not to the extent expected, not fully realizing its potential. Since 2015, compared to previous years, there seems to be an increasing willingness among Poles to engage in social matters, evident through protest movements and demonstrations, and after 2022, also through involvement in humanitarian aid for refugees from Ukraine. To present the dynamics, evaluate, and outline a forecast for the development of Polish civil society, the article starts by presenting the evolution of the concept and its significance for democracy. It also highlights practical manifestations of civil society functioning. Drawing on statistical research conducted by CBOS and GUS regarding the social engagement of Poles, as well as Elżbieta Korolczuk’s article on the nature of contemporary civil society in Poland, the article analyzes trends and changes in the activation of Poles, pointing out areas of greatest interest. The paper also presents challenges faced by contemporary civil society to effectively outline potential directions of its development.