2008 Human Rights Month
Human Rights Month is an annual event that features conferences, workshops, a film festival, and a discussion of recent publications in the human rights sector. Through Human Rights Month, the Academy provides a forum for the education on and discussion of human rights theory. Participants have the opportunity to share first hand experiences, as well as network with fellow practitioners, scholars, and activists in the field. We hope you will join us for several of the events planned that feature world renowned actors in human rights.
This year, Human Rights Month will be organized according to three themes, with a series of panel discussions proposed for each. All events will be from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at American University Washington College of Law in Rm. 603 and will be simultaneously interpreted unless otherwise noted. They are as follows:
THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Wednesday, May 28, 2008: The Role of Human Rights Supervisory Bodies in Applying Humanitarian Law: Benefits and Drawbacks
- Phillip Sundel, Deputy Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Robert K. Goldman, Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law
- Leo Zwaak, Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM)
- Commentator: Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the American Society of International Law (ASIL)
Thursday, May 29, 2008: The Duty to Prosecute and Punish and the Interaction between Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
- Douglass Cassel, Director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights at the University of Notre Dame
- Juan Méndez, President of the International Center for Transitional Justice in New York
- Rodrigo Uprimny, Director of the Research Center for Law, Justice and Society (DeJuSticia), Colombia
- Johan Vande Lanotte, Professor at Ghent University and former Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium
- Commentator: Diane Orentlicher, Professor of International Law at Washington College of Law
THIRD ANNUAL MEETING ON HUMAN RIGHTS: THE INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM
Friday, May 30, 2008: Current Status of the Inter-American Human Rights System: a Reflection on the “Reform Process”
- Carlos Ayala, Former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
- Robert K. Goldman, Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law
- Juan Méndez, President of the International Center for Transitional Justice in New York
- Commentator: Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón, Co-Director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Monday, June 2, 2008: The Procedures of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: a Debate on its Practices and Regulations
- Ernesto de la Jara, Founder of the Legal Defense Institute in Peru
- Francisco Quintana , Associate Director, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
- Margarita Rey, Human Rights Advisor, Colombian Mission to the Organization of American States
- Commentator: Juan Carlos Arjona, Humphrey Fellow and Former Coordinator, Human Rights Program, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico*
Tuesday, June 3, 2008: Recent Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: Weighing the Impact and Scope of its Decisions
- Elizabeth Abi-Mershed, Principal Specialist, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
- Antônio Cançado Trindade, Ex-President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
- Rodrigo Durango Cordero, Attorney, Attorney General's Office, Ecuador
- Commentator: Claudia Martin, Co-Director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Friday, June 6, 2008: UN Special Procedures: a Conversation with the Experts on the Future and Impact of these Mechanisms
- Santiago Corcuera, UN Rapporteur and Chair, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
- Gay McDougall, UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues
- Vitit Muntarbhorn, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
- Commentator: Claudio Grossman, Dean, American University Washington College of Law
Thursday, June 12, 2008: Human Rights and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: Hopes and Challenges
Co-Sponsored by: The Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation
- Santiago Cantón, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
- Steve Crawshaw, UN Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch, New York
- Ngonlardje Mbaidjol, Director,New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Eric Rosand, Senior Fellow, Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation
- Martin Scheinin, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism
- Commentator: Robert K. Goldman, Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law
*Invited
