Global Conflict, Security and Human Rights: International Legal Perspectives – The Levan Alexidze Foundation co-hosted International Summer School

Continuing the work commenced by Academician Levan Alexidze, the Levan Alexidze Foundation and the Georgian American University hosted the Groningen-Tbilisi Joint International Summer School on “Global Conflict, Security and Human Rights: International Legal Perspectives”, held in person in Tbilisi in July 2022.

The Summer School, which still in July 2019 was hosted, and inaugurated with a keynote speech, by Professor Levan Alexidze, in July 2022 was jointly organized by the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), the Levan Alexidze Foundation and the Georgian-American University.

Students and graduates of several universities worldwide took part in the weeklong academic and practical programme of the School.

Representatives of academia and practicing lawyers from the Netherlands, Germany and Georgia led the sessions dedicated to issues as diverse as the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the attribution of conduct of de factoauthorities in the  law of state responsibility, issues related to a victim-centred approach in International Justice, ECtHR approaches on extraterritoriality and the strategic litigation of Georgia in the 2008 War case before the international courts. The thorough academic discussions of the Summer School were launched by  opening statements of the President of the Georgian American University, R. Michael Cowgill; the Head of the Department of Transboundary Law of the University of Groningen, Prof. Marcel Brus; and Prof. Ketevan Khutsishvili, Director of the International Criminal Law Centre at TSU.

Lectures and discussions were further centred around issues that Professor Levan Alexidze had pursued throughout his academic and practical work, including the self-determination of peoples, the declaration of independence and statehood of breakaway entities, and the peculiarities of decision-making in the United Nations.  Contextual issues related to the use of force, the law of armed conflicts, the migration crisis, challenges in applying human rights treaties during armed conflicts, internal displacement and property rights, as well as the protection of the environment in armed conflict and the role of international organisations in tackling the difficulties of (frozen) conflicts were addressed from various perspectives.

The academic debate was enriched by the involvement of practicing lawyers in discussing, inter alia, the peculiarities of the mandate of the International Criminal Court and its application with regard to Georgia and Ukraine.

As a part of the practical work, the participating students prepared and performed in a format of a “model” of the United Nations Security Council. Relevant discussions  focused on the possible integration of environmental protection issues into the agenda of the Security Council.

It should be noted here that on 31 July 1992, Georgia was admitted to membership in the United Nations, having received the recommendation of the Security Council on 6 July 1992.

Until 31 July 2019, Academician Levan Alexidze was actively involved in developing Georgia’s international relations, and via his scientific and academic work vigorously participated in the development of an international legal framework supporting international peace and security and the protection of human rights.

In view of the above, the Levan Alexidze Foundation dedicated its involvement in the Summer School of July 2022 to Georgia’s 30 years of membership in the United Nations and the role Professor Levan Alexidze played in advancing Georgia’s role as a full-fledged player at the international level.

See also more information about the Summer School and related Article