President Bill Angrick retires after an outstanding professional carreer, three decades of commitment within the I.O.I. and nearly six years as President of the Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute.

Irena Lipowicz is the new Ombudswoman of Poland. She was appointed with approval of the Senate as Huamn Rights Defender for a five-year-term, effective from 8 July 2010.

Maija Sakslin was elected second Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman in Finland on 2 July 2010.

On 1 July 2010, Ms. María Luisa Cava de Llano y Carrió was appointed Acting Defensora del Pueblo (Ombudswoman).

It is with great regret that International Ombudsman Institute (I.O.I.) has learned about the death of Prof. Dejan Janča, Provincial Ombudsman of Vojvodina, who died on 2 July 2010, following a brief illness.

I.O.I. Vice-President Mats Melin is Acting President of the I.O.I. until the annual Board of Directors meeting this coming October in Bermuda when a new President will be elected.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman has been one of Finland’s two supreme overseers of legality and celebrated its 90 years anniversary in early February 2010. To mark this occasion the Parliamentary Ombudsman published the book “Parliamentary Ombudsman 90“.

“Sharpening Your Teeth”-Training is the first educational programme offered by the I.O.I. It will be held from 14 to 17 November 2010 at the I.O.I. General Secretariat in Vienna, Austria and is specifically designed for staff members of ombudsman institutions.