Law conference to address deadly armed conflict

Tuesday, 24 February 2004

The Honourable Justice Louise Arbour of the Supreme Court of Canada heads a list of distinguished speakers at an International Law Conference jointly organised by the University of Adelaide and Flinders University at the end of this month.

Titled The Challenge of Conflict, International Law Responds, the conference takes place from 26-29 February at the Novotel Adelaide, and is designed to bring together academics, lawyers, judges, activists and researchers to consider the catastrophic consequences of deadly armed conflict.

"In spite of decades of efforts to address the underlying causes of conflict and to prevent their occurrence, the impact of conflict can be seen in all regions of the world," says Ms Wendy Lacey, deputy chair of the organising committee and a lecturer at the University of Adelaide's Law School.

"The conference is also designed to facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue on one of the major dilemmas currently facing the international community."

The Honourable Alexander Downer, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, will open the conference that features speakers from across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, England, Bangladesh and Wales.

"The speakers are drawn from the United Nations and its agencies, key non-governmental organisations, world-class academic circles, senior members of government, leading human rights lawyers and judges with experience in international criminal law," says Ms Lacey.

Justice Arbour, meanwhile, a former UN Security Council-appointed Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, will also address the Howard Zelling Lecture that precedes the law conference.

The lecture will be hosted by the Speaker of the South Australian Parliament, the Honourable Peter Lewis, MP and will be held on Wednesday 25 February at 6:00pm in the Chamber of the House of Assembly at Parliament House. Justice Arbour will consider the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Howard Zelling Lecture Trust was established in 1988 to being eminent individuals from overseas to give public lectures on topics of jurisprudence, law and law reform.

Further information can be obtained by calling (08) 8354 2285, e- mailing: ilaw@aomevents.com or referring to the website: www.aomevents.com/conferences/ilaw

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