On May 20-24, 2024, a group of 5 students from Lazarski University together with a judge and professor Aneta Łazarska, Head of the Department of Law and Civil Procedure, visited the Court of Appeal and Prosecutor's Office in Palermo as well as the Falcone Borsellino Museum. Students not only took part in the trials against Cosa Nostra, but also visited important memorial sites such as the Ucciarodne prison and Pagliareli.
The visit was even more important because May 23 was the anniversary of the Capaci bombing and the death of Judge Giovanni Falcone. Students took part in the celebration of Justice Day, expressing solidarity with the entire Italian society and expressing their opposition to the mafia. It was an honor for us to participate in these celebrations and a tribute to the memory of the brave judges Falcone and Borsellino.
We would like to express our special thanks to:
- Dr. Carlo Marzella from the General Prosecutor's Office in Palermo and the Court of Appeal in Palermo, who not only provided an interesting program of the visit but also talked about his daily work, challenges, threats and passion for this work. Thanks to his kindness, students participated in the notorious trial of Antonino Augostino.
- Mr. Marco Panebianco from Fondazione Progetto Legalità ONLUS for showing the Falcone Borsellino Museum - one of the most important memorial sites in the world, very important for all lawyers.
Professor Łazarska hopes to conduct scientific research among Italian and Polish law students on the values that are important today for the future generation of lawyers. The erosion of the legal value system, the affirmation of conformist attitudes, the search for tendencies to bypass and even instrumentalize law are challenges common to the education of Italian and Polish future law students. Regardless of the country or system, the common value that unites all lawyers is respect for the courts, the rule of law and ensuring respect for judicial independence.
The mobilities to Palermo of students and our staff member took place as part of the Erasmus+ program.