The 2017 Thessaloniki Summer Course: International Humanitarian Law: Current Developments and Challenges

The Kalliopi Koufa Foundation for the Promotion of International Law and the Protection of Human Rights is pleased to announce the Third Session of the Thessaloniki Summer Courses to take place from June 28 to 7 July 2017 in Thessaloniki, Greece #thirdthessalonikisummercourses. The title of this year’s session is “International Humanitarian Law: Current Developments and Challenges”.

Here is the idea:
Forty years after the adoption of the two Additional Protocols to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the “Geneva system” is facing serious challenges in view of continuous developments in the field of the use of force and shifts in the conduct of conventional (inter-state) war. Such developments include the proliferation of non-state armed groups and other actors participating in armed conflict, new technologies and the use of novel means and methods of warfare (automated and autonomous weapons, drones etc), new domains of warfare such as cyber etc. All these give rise to questions as to how international humanitarian law can address these challenges and how it can achieve its aims and its protective function or whether new rules and instruments are needed.

The 2017 Thessaloniki Summer Course will offer an overview of the fundamental principles and rules of international humanitarian law and will focus on cutting edge issues, contemporary developments and challenges. Some of the questions to be discussed by the eminent faculty of the course include: is international humanitarian law binding on non-state armed groups and, if so, on what basis? How does international law deal with new weapons technology? How does the principle of distinction apply to cyberwarfare? How is international humanitarian law enforced in view of all these challenges? Where we are currently standing on the development and respect of international humanitarian law?

The Faculty of the 2017 Thessaloniki Summer Course includes: Fausto Pocar, Professor Emeritus of International Law, University of Milan, President of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (Keynote Lecture), Marco Sassoli, Professor of International Law and Director of the Department of International Law and International Organization, University of Geneva,  Frédéric Mégret, Associate Professor of law and William Dawson Scholar, McGill University, Nicholas Tsagourias, Professor of International Law, University of Sheffield. Jann Kleffner, Professor of International Law and Head of the International Law Centre, Swedish Defence University, William Boothby, Associate Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, former Deputy Director of Legal Services (Royal Air Force, UK), Constantine Antonopoulos, Associate Professor of International Law, Democritus University of Thrace, Maria-Daniella Marouda, Assistant Professor of International Law and International Humanitarian Law, Panteion University of Social and Political Studies of Athens, Heike Spieker, Deputy Director of the International Services & National Relief Division German Red Cross, Russell Buchan, Senior Lecturer in International Law, University of Sheffield.

The early bird application window for the Thessaloniki Summer Course on International Humanitarian Law is already open #thirdthessalonikisummercourses.

Apply now and take advantage of the early bird offer! 
For more information please visit the Foundation's webpage! 
For any inquiries please contact us on summercourses@koufafoundation.org