On the picture ICC Judges in the historic Courtroom 600 of Nuremberg, Germany during a retreat held on 19 – 20 June 2015 ©ICC-CPI.   ICC Judges agree on measures to improve efficiency of criminal process.   The Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have held a private retreat to consider ways of improving the efficiency of the Court’s judicial work.  Following intensive discussions, the Judges agreed on concrete measures aimed at harmonizing working methods and implementing best practices. “I am delighted that we achieved so much progress in discussing questions of common concern in a collegial manner”, said ICC President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi. “Expediting proceedings is a top priority for the Court, and the retreat was a great success as it allowed Judges to agree on measures to harmonize practices and improve efficiency.” The retreat was held on Friday 19 June and Saturday 20 June 2015 in the historic Courtroom 600 of Nuremberg, Germany, with the generous support of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy and the City of Nuremberg. A large part of the retreat program was based on the extensive work conducted over the last two and a half years in the context of the Lessons Learned Working Group of the ICC Judges, particularly in relation to issues arising from pre-trial and trial proceedings. The Judges also held a working session devoted to the Court’s relationship with external stakeholders with the participation of Mr Adama Dieng, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide and former Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. A summary of the results of the retreat will be provided to States Parties in the near future.  

By Mete Erdurcan.     In the second part of its ‘Premier Perspectives’ series, The Hague institute for Global Justice hosted Dr. H.C. Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, on Thursday the 4^th of June for a Q&A session. Dr. Lubbers remains the longest serving Prime Minister of the Netherlands, having held office from the 4^th of November 1982 to the 22^nd of August 1994, a momentous period which witnessed the fall of the Soviet Union and the re-unification of Germany. In recognition of his services to the Netherlands he was granted the honorary title of ‘Minister of State’ on the 31^st of January 1995. Following his term as Prime Minister, Dr. Lubbers was appointed UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  

    The former Prime Minister chose the topic ‘Global Justice in 2015’ for his Premier Perspectives appearance, making reference to his time in the 1960s as chair of what would later become ‘Young Management’. When asked by current chair Ms. Marijke van Kan as to his views on the social role of young employers, his answer was straightforward: “to deal with our common future”. According to the former Prime Minister, the role of (young) employers is paramount to achieving successful and sustainable development worldwide, an important objective which may be strived for in part by bearing social responsibility for a large number of employees. He formulated this as “Corporate Social Responsibility”, and indicated that it is a “generous force for change”. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Dr. Lubbers has been a powerful advocate for sustainable growth and a united (saving) energy policy. Amongst his many achievements in this realm, the instigation of the Earth Charter (2000) and the Energy Charter Treaty (1990-4) stand out in particular. When asked what his views were on the potential outcome of the Paris UN Climate Change Conference, he replied that he hoped that an agreement would be reached. On the issue of recent political events, his response was measured and balanced, contending that we should “confront (President) Putin by being strong and united” but nonetheless “offer full partnership in transition to full sustainable economy”. Under the supervision of the President of The Hague Institute Dr. Abiodun Williams a Q&A session was held, in which the former Prime Minister offered his thoughts on a wide variety of questions ranging from energy issues to international development. To listen to the session, please click on the link below: https://soundcloud.com/hagueinstitute/premier-perspectives-ruud-lubbers  

On the picture H.E. Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court.   Photography and text by Montserrat Zamora.   On June 1st, the Opening Ceremony of the V Ibero-American Week of International Justice took place at the Peace Palace.

Speeches were presented by H.E. Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court, H.E. Mr. Philippe Courvreur,  Registrar of the International Court of Justice, H.E. Mrs. Nora Stehouwer, Ambassador of the Netherlands to International Organisations, and Prof. Héctor Olasolo Alonso, Chairman of the Ibero-American Institute of The Hague for Peace, Human Rights and International Justice. Since 2011, the Ibero-American Week of International Justice has been organised each year during the first ten days of June by the Ibero-American Institute of The Hague for Peace, Human Rights and International Justice (IIH). It has immense institutional support from numerous different organizations, such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Hague Municipality, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the University of The Hague for Applied Sciences, the Grotius Center for International Studies, the TMC Asser Institute, the Hague Academic Coalition, the Embassies of several Ibero-American States, the General Ibero-American Secretariat, the European Union, the Coalition for the ICC, and a number of Ibero-American Universities and organisations.  

 

  The Ibero-American Week is comprised of a number of events in Spanish and Portuguese, including a Moot Court on the International Criminal Court, an Essay Contest on International Justice, a Seminar on Ibero-American Thinking on International Justice, a Research Group on the Ibero-American Epistemological Perspective on Justice, a guided tour to the historical buildings of the City of The Hague, and several visits to Hague-based International Courts, Tribunals and Organisations. Translation into English is provided for some of the activities. The aim of the Ibero-American Week is to create a space in which academics, international and national state officials, members of civil society, students, and the general public at large, coming from the countries in the Ibero-American region and the Netherlands, may exchange their views and initiatives on International Justice. Likewise, it aims to promote a deeper knowledge and a better understanding of Hague-based International Court, Tribunals and Organisations.  

  On the occasion of its V Edition, the Filmhuis of The Hague showed on 6 and 7 June several Ibero-American movies, including films from Argentina, Guatemala and Mexico. Moreover, on 10 June an exchange between Ibero-American and Chinese academics and students on the meaning of inclusion for peace and international justice was held at the Humanity House, as part of The Hague Talks for Peace and Justice organised by the Municipality of the City of The  Hague.  

During the Opening Ceremony, Rut Codina Palacio sang a number of traditional songs from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and Spain.

The Programme of the Ibero-American Week of International Justice is available here: http://olap.fder.edu.uy/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Draft-Programme-V-Iberoamerican-Week-of-International-Justice-2015-Latest-Version.pdf

   By Roy Lie A Tjam.   Filipinos around the globe celebrated Kalayaan (Liberation) on June 12, 2015.   On June 12, 1898, Filipino revolutionary forces, led by General Emilio Aguinaldo, announced publicly the Act of the Declaration of Independence in Cavite El Viejo which proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of thePhilippines from the colonial rule of Spain.     For a photo-album on Philippines National Day, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157654535952856   H.E. Mr. Jaime Victor B Ledda flanked by his spouse Mrs. Veredigna Ledda, beautifully outfitted in her Terno, hosted a reception at the World Hotel Bel Air on June 9, 2015, to commemorate this historic day. Amongst many dignitaries present at the celebration was Dr. Raul C. Pangalangan, the Philippines’ candidate for judge at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Ambassador Ledda is himself an alumni of the then-Prof, Dr. Raul C. Pangalangan. Diplomat Magazine wishes the latter all the very best in his candidacy for the position.   In his address to guests, H.E. Ambassador Jaime Ledda touched upon a number of themes including the state of the economy in his country: the Philippines are doing well. The reception was well-attended by diplomats, representatives of various ministries, Filipinos and others.          

By Roy Lie A Tjam.   A Ministerial delegation led by H.E. Minister Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade & Development Cooperation, and H.E. Minister Melanie Schultz, Minister for Infrastructure and Environment, along with representatives of textile, apparel, and water stakeholders, is due to visit Bangladesh from 14-18 June 2015. The overall objective of the visit is to enhance the water and garment business relationship between the two countries.   For a photo-album on this event, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157654246009648   H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador for the Republic of Bangladesh in the Netherlands, held a reception at Bangladesh House, Wassenaar on June 3, 2015 for an interactive pre-departure briefing. Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal presented numerous opportunities in Bangladesh, particularly the textile and apparel industries, confirming that they have much to offer the Netherlands and the world. Belal encouraged Dutch businesses to partner with his country based on the evidence suggesting that the Bangladesh “economy is soaring ahead.”     Apart from H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, there were two other speakers: Mr. Han Bekke, president of MODINT, and Mr. Jeroen van Dijken LLM MSc MA, secretary to VGT, Association of Textile Wholesalers. Mr. Bekke introduced MODINT, an association of manufacturers, importers, agents and wholesalers of clothing, fashion accessories, carpet and (interior) textiles. Furthermore Mr. Bekke expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the invitation pertaining to the upcoming visit to Bangladesh. Mr. Jeroen van Dyke, in a revealing way, exposed the VGT ‘policy in dealing with textile & apparel exporting countries’ such as Bangladesh. Also, Van Dyke touched on the VGT ‘Plan of Action’ The primary objective of the Plan of Action is to achieve structural improvements in the broadest sense in the textile and clothing industry. The plan is widely supported, with about 100 companies having ratified it. There is a growing interest from neighboring countries as well as from the European Commission, declared Van Dyke. The Action Plan has several issues on the agenda: child labour, freedom of association, and purchasing practice to name a few. About ten working groups have been put in place to ensure achievement of the goals. The sector faces some challenges, due to the paucity (1%) of the Dutch share in the global textile and clothing market. The Plan of Action has since drawn political attention, and Parliament has adopted several motions on transparency, child labor, and living wages. The Netherlands government has put forward her view on CSR and trade in a policy memorandum called ‘MVO Loont’ and has conducted a ‘risk analysis’ of the entire Dutch industry. Additionally, an ILO video depicting the post Rana Plaza situation was featured. Over the past two years, the ILO has been working with its local and international partners and other workers organizations on several fronts to improve the situation of workers in the Bangladeshi garment industry. To date, there are more labor inspectors than before, in addition to much more government legislation. A victims’ compensation scheme is in place and there are over 300 workers unions. The motto of this collective Government-ILO project is “Building a brighter future.”