isitors pose questions to Court staff in Courtroom I’s Public Gallery at the ICC headquarters in The Hague (Netherlands), on The Hague International Day on Sunday, 22 September 2019 ©ICC-CPI
More than 3,000 people visited the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Sunday, 22 September 2019, when it opened its headquarters for The Hague International Day (Open Day). This was the biggest open day for the ICC yet, with 1000 more visitors than last year. Women, men and children of different ages and nationalities, including Dutch nationals and members of the international community based in The Hague, had the opportunity to learn more and be inspired by the Court and Trust Fund for Victims’ work.
Women, men and children of different ages and nationalities, including Dutch nationals and members of the international community based in The Hague, had the opportunity to learn more and be inspired by the Court and Trust Fund for Victims’ work.
Highlights this year included an interactive session with staff in the main ICC Courtroom, viewing of several artworks, insightful information on investigations and cases, as well as the work of the Trust Fund for Victims, an area featuring jobs, internships and visiting professional positions, and activities for children and youth, including “Planet Justice” augmented reality games about the ICC.
This year the visitors also had the chance to explore a temporary art exhibit, “bogoro” comprising three art pieces by Franck Leibovici and Julien Seroussi. The works, which explore themes of witnesses and evidence in an ICC case, will remain on display at the seat of the Court until the end of the year. The exhibit is part of a larger collaborative project with the artists to bring art, sociology and multidisciplinary perspectives to the legal process.
The Hague International Day is organised on a yearly basis by the Municipality of The Hague – the Court’s host city – and gives the public the opportunity to learn more about the functioning and aims of the various international institutions and non-governmental organisations based in the city. The Hague has been hosting the ICC since 2002. The city and its surrounding area are now home to over 160 international organisations.
The ICC is the first permanent, treaty-based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
