IHL Summer School 2023

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS
AND
MASTER OF LAWS PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA

7th Regional International Humanitarian Law

Summer School 2023

Dates

28 August – 2 September 2023

Format: hybrid

Face-to-face with an opportunity to join online

Hosting institution and platform:

  • American University of Armenia, LL.M. Program
  • MS Teams

The Regional Summer School is a weeklong certificate course on International humanitarian law (IHL) organized jointly by the American University of Armenia (AUA), LL.M. Program and the Delegation of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Yerevan, Armenia.

Traditionally the event provides a unique opportunity of IHL learning and networking in the region. This summer school will investigate the role of IHL in dealing with global challenges posed by armed conflicts worldwide. We will link the general IHL to present-day challenges of global interest. Meanwhile, the event aims to introduce the participants to the most important tenets of international law. These include the nature and function of international humanitarian law, its sources, and general principles.

The 2023 Regional Summer School will be dedicated to the 160 years of ICRC worldwide humanitarian action. The mission of this year’s summer school is to develop understanding on humanitarian consequences resulting from conflicts and the role of the ICRC and IHL in response to affected people, the practical application of IHL on the ground, including the protection of cultural property, rights of missing persons and their families as well as tools and mechanisms of international law, IHL and international human rights law for addressing these consequences.

The feedback of previous summer schools shows that after successful completion of the program the attendees orientate themselves better in IHL field, elaborate and strengthen their trust on the importance of IHL and ICRC for the protection of those affected by the armed conflicts in the most severe way.

The summer school invites advanced students and young professionals working in government and non-government organizations who in their work come across tasks and challenges related to public international law and its branches.

The course will be open to participants from Eurasia region. The course will be held predominantly in the evening hours (Yerevan time) except for the daytime session on Saturday, 2 September. The working language of the summer school is English.

 

Why is this Summer School needed?

Unfortunately, wars remain a reality of our world, which has made the IHL one of the most developed and still developing branches of the public international law.  The IHL protects persons who do not or no longer participate in hostilities and puts limits to the means and methods of warfare.

The knowledge of IHL is,

  • an essential asset for those working in countries affected by an armed conflict, and for those interested in or already working for international humanitarian organizations or in other related fields;
  • the prerequisite of its respect: the more practicing lawyers, politicians, advanced students know the IHL philosophy and content, the better it is reflected on the decision-making and practical level in a short-term and long-term perspective;
  • a tool to develop firm and informed position on the need and use of this branch of law even in circumstances when other laws are not applicable or seem not to be working anymore.

Through the summer school the AUA and the ICRC will support practitioners interested in IHL to extend their network, build IHL expertise and apply the knowledge in their professional life. It aids them on how to play their role in promoting IHL compliance in their countries of origin or work setting.

For our region, regrettably, the IHL goes far beyond the textbooks and the summer school will also help to better understand the IHL challenges and developments on specific practical examples and case studies. All the sessions will dwell on concrete examples rather than on pure theory and philosophy.

This year, the main issue in focus and the “umbrella” theme will be humanitarian consequences resulting from conflicts and the practical application of IHL on the ground, in the framework of which nine themes will be covered by the program. The program of the course is currently being developed and will be shared with selected participants at a later stage.

 

Selection criteria

    • Background in the public international law and/or the IHL is required. An eligible candidate should have either working experience in the humanitarian and other relevant sectors (international and local NGOs, state agencies, international organizations, national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies) or current enrollment in a masters/postgraduate program in law, political science, international relations and other adjacent fields of study.
    • Working proficiency in English.

    Interested candidates are requested to,

    • Fill out the application form electronically, put their name and surname in the name of the file,
    • Attach their curriculum vitae (max 3 pages) as well as
    • A letter of motivation (max 300 words).

     

    The application package shall be prepared in English and sent to [email protected] and [email protected]. The subject line of the email shall be as follows: “IHL summer school_name_surname”.

    The application deadline is 17 July 2023 (23.59 GMT).

    The results of the selection process will be communicated to all candidates by Monday, 31 July 2023.

Expenses

There is no tuition fee. However, the face-to-face attendees’ travel, meals and accommodation costs are not covered by the organizers and must be arranged by the participants themselves.

Certification and awards

As the program follows a logical structure, participants are expected to be present throughout the course. Those participants who attended at least 7 out of 9 sessions, either online or in person, will receive an official Certificate of Attendance upon the completion of the course.  An IHL quiz will be offered during the last session of the summer school and those who score in the top three will be awarded a certificate of achievement and will receive summer school souvenirs.