Creation of the Geneva Academy


We are back in 2007 with the reception that marked the creation of the Geneva Academy. The reception took place at the Villa Barton.

In this photo, you see Micheline Calmy-Rey, the former President of the Swiss Confederation, with Professor Andrew Clapham, the first Director of the Geneva Academy, and Professor Marco Sassòli.

2007–2008 LLM Class Graduation Ceremony


We are back in May 2009 for the 2007–2008 LLM class graduation ceremony.

On this occasion, Géraldine Ruiz received the Henry Dunant Research Prize for her LLM paper ‘An Intangible Right? Aerial Bombardment, the Principle of Distinction and Proportionality in Attack: Conceptual Difficulties and Contemporary Issues’.

In this photo, you see all our LLM students in front of the lake, at Villa Barton.

Inauguration of Villa Moynier


We are back in October 2009 with the inauguration of Villa Moynier, our home since then.

The ceremony marked the building’s magnificent renovation, thanks to the joint efforts of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the City of Geneva.

Built between 1846 and 1847, Villa Moynier was the property of Gustave Moynier, the first President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. It later housed the League of Nations in 1926 and served as headquarters for the ICRC between 1933 and 1946.

In the photo, you see Professor Andrew Clapham, the Geneva Academy Director at the time, holding the Villa Moynier's key with Professor Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, Director at that time of the LLM in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS), with whom we share the villa.

First Antonio Cassese Annual Prize for International Criminal Law Studies


We are back in February 2010 for the official ceremony organized at Villa Moynier to award the first Antonio Cassese Annual Prize for International Criminal Law Studies – a biennial prize given to the author of the most original and innovative paper published in the Journal of International Criminal Justice in the two years preceding the award.

The prize was awarded to James G. Stewart – an LLM alumnus – for his many excellent contributions to the Journal, including ‘Rethinking Guantanamo: Unlawful Confinement as Applied to International Criminal Law’, and to further the completion of his research project, ‘Atrocity, Commerce, and Accountability: The International Criminal Liability of Corporate Actors’.

In the photo, you see Professor Salvatore Zappalà, the co-Managing Editor of the Journal, awarding the prize to James G. Stewart, with Professor Antonio Cassese, the Editor-in-chief of the Journal, participating remotely.

2008–2009 LLM Class Graduation Ceremony


We are back in April 2010 for the Graduation Ceremony of our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights 2008–2009 class.

The reception took place at Villa Moynier and in this photo, you will recognize the two Co-Directors of the Geneva Academy at the time – Professors Paola Gaeta and Andrew Clapham – as well as Professors Louise Doswald-Beck, Vincent Chetail, Marco Sassòli, Nicolas Michel, Yves Sandoz and Eibe Riedel.

Study Trip to Bosnia


We are back in May 2011 for the study trip of the 2010–2011 LLM class to Bosnia.

During their trip, students notably visited in Sarajevo the ‘Tunnel Museum’ – a museum telling the story of the tunnel built during the war and that served for providing humanitarian assistance to the Bosnians in Sarajevo during the siege.

In northern Bosnia, they visited a memorial monument dedicated to the victims who were killed in the area during the conflict, as well as the former concentration camp ‘Trnopolje’. They met survivors of the camp, who are now working on human rights issues.

Study trips are an integral part of the LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and allow students to experience the practical side of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international criminal law.

Immunity Workshop


On 10–11 November 2011, the Geneva Academy hosted a meeting of world experts to discuss the topic of immunities from jurisdiction in cases of serious human rights violations.

Experts exchanged around issues such as the nature of state immunity, the scope of the tort exception and the validity of the argument of jus cogens norms over state immunity. They also questioned the existence and scope of the immunity of state officials accused of international crimes, both before national and international courts. The workshop ended with a discussion on the immunity of international organizations and access to justice.

You see in the photo a group of participants in this workshop: Paolo Palchetti, Micaela Frulli, Hazel Fox, Dapo Akande and Annyssa Bellal.

Inauguration of the Cassese Room


On 23 April 2012, an evening reception marked the inauguration of the Cassese Room at Villa Moynier, in honour and memory of Professor Antonio Cassese.

In the photo, you see Professors Paola Gaeta and Andrew Clapham – the Directors of the Geneva Academy at that time – unveiling the inaugural plaque that you still see today in the room.

Launch of the Book Brierly's Law of Nations


A public event on 24 September 2012 marked the launch of Professor Andrew Clapham's Book Brierly's Law of Nations.

This seventh edition – published by Oxford University Press – provides an introduction to the role of international law in international relations.

Novelties in this edition included new chapters on contemporary issues, such as the basis of international obligation, the role of the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, and the emergence of new states.

Unveiling of a Commemorative Plaque on Villa Moynier


On 9 February 2013, as part of a series of events to commemorate 150 years of humanitarian action in Geneva and the 150th anniversary of the first Geneva Convention of 1864, an official ceremony marked the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on Villa Moynier.

The plaque recalls that Villa Moynier was the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) headquarters from 1932 to 1947 and was the residence of Gustave Moynier – one of the founders and the first President of the ICRC.

The plaque was unveiled by the Mayor of Geneva Rémi Pagani and by the Geneva Academy’s Directors Professors Paola Gaeta and Andrew Clapham, in the presence of Cornelio Sommaruga, former President of the ICRC, representatives from the Henry Dunant Foundation and the Genève humanitaire – who donated the plaque – and many other guests.

A photo exhibition – featuring archive images from Villa Moynier showing notably Gustave Moynier working on the first Geneva Convention in the now Cassese room – accompanied this event.

Study Trip to Solferino


From 9 to 13 May 2013, 20 students from the 2012–2013 LLM class visited Solferino in Italy, accompanied by Professor Andrew Clapham, Professor Paola Gaeta, Francois Bugnion – former Director for International Law and Cooperation at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – and some teaching assistants.

They followed Henry Dunant’s path in 1858, which led to the adoption of the first Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field (1867) and the birth of the Red Cross movement.

LLM students benefited from Francois Bugnion’s knowledge of ICRC's history of the development of international humanitarian law.

They visited the battlefield, the Chiesa Maggiore the church where Henry Dunant took care of about 500 wounded after the battle  and the Red Cross Museum of Castiglione.

Launch of the First Edition of the War Report


December 2013: An event at the Maison de la paix marked the launch of the first edition of the War Report, published by Oxford University Press.

As an annual publication, the War Report provided, from 2013 to 2019, a detailed and comprehensive analysis of existing armed conflicts, as well as critical legal developments and controversies that arose during the year in review.

War Report, published by Oxford University Press.

As an annual publication, the War Report provided, from 2013 to 2019, a detailed and comprehensive analysis of existing armed conflicts, as well as critical legal developments and controversies that arose during the year in review.

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Cycling for a Scholarship from Geneva to Solferino


In August 2014, three alumni of our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights – Ilya Nuzov, Jean-Baptiste Maillart and Stephen Wilkinson – followed the footsteps of Henry Dunant and cycled with their relatives from Geneva to Solferino (more than 600 kilometres and about 10,000 meters of elevation) to raise funds for an LLM scholarship.

Training Course on the UN Human Rights Council


In February 2015, this training course, ahead of the main session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC), aimed at preparing diplomats, NGO representatives and other stakeholders to lead and perform effectively in this major forum for human rights diplomacy.

In the photo, you can see Kamelia Kemileva, who was in charge of this training course, with Mexican Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, the HRC President.

Launch of the Commentary to the 1949 Geneva Conventions


On 4 December 2015, a panel discussion marked the launch of The 1949 Geneva Conventions: A Commentary published by Oxford University Press and edited by Professors Andrew Clapham, Paola Gaeta, and Marco Sassòli.

Prepared under the auspices of the Geneva Academy, this ground-breaking book brought over sixty international law experts who investigated the application of the Geneva Conventions and explained how they should be interpreted today.

Training Course on the Rights of Peasants


In November 2015, this training course, aimed at familiarizing participants – representatives of NGOs, social movements, peasant organizations, development and human rights institutions, UN bodies and other international organizations and governments – with the rights of peasants and the negotiations of the UN Declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas, which was adopted in 2018.

In the photo, you can see all the participants in this training course with our Senior Research Fellow, Dr Golay, who leads our work and research on the rights of peasants.

work and research on the rights of peasants.

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The Geneva Academy Team Wins the 2016 Jean-Pictet Competition


In March 2016, the Geneva Academy – represented by Sarah Gale, Annelies Nachtergaele and Clementine Rendle and coached by Ilya Nuzov won the prestigious Jean-Pictet Competition.

In the final – presided over by the former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Theodor Meron – Sarah, Annelies and Clementine had to address whether a fictional state party to the Rome Statute should transfer the leader of an armed group to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution.

Each one had to defend a particular position: the accused’s attorney against the motion; the national prosecutor in favour of the motion; and the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, also against the motion. It was a challenging task, requiring them to argue against each other, but in the end, the Geneva Academy team prevailed over the other finalists!

Launch of the Master of Advanced Studies in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law


In September 2016, we launched our Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ).

The first class comprised 27 students from various backgrounds and countries, many of which had a recent history of political oppression or armed conflict.

Organized around a vibrant, intimate and multicultural community of talented students, leading professors and key experts, the MTJ has become a point of reference for those wanting to gain a solid theoretical and practical legal background in the field of transitional justice.

Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ).

The first class comprised 27 students from various backgrounds and countries, many of which had a recent history of political oppression or armed conflict.

Organized around a vibrant, intimate and multicultural community of talented students, leading professors and key experts, the MTJ has become a point of reference for those wanting to gain a solid theoretical and practical legal background in the field of transitional justice.

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Dilma Rousseff at the FIFDH


In March 2017, Dilma Rousseff participated – along with our Senior Research Fellow Dr Christophe Golay and Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India – in the evening co-organized with the Geneva Academy at the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH). The discussion focussed on fighting hunger and poverty  – with examples from Brazil and India  – and was followed by the screening of the movie An Insignificant Man.

Photo credit: Miguel Bueno