International Nuremberg Principles Academy...Benjamin Ferencz, Prosecutor in the Nuremberg...

“The International Nuremberg Principles Academy –

the right idea at the right time

and in the right place.” Dr. h.c. Hans-Peter Kaul, Judge at the International Criminal Court

“We have to understand that up

until now we only could prevent

crime in a symbolic manner.

We will never be able to stop all

crimes. But we have the duty to try,

as well as we can. I am 93 now;

the future is up to you.”

Benjamin Ferencz, Prosecutor in the

Nuremberg Einsatzgruppen Trial

The Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, with its historical Court Room 600 where

the Nuremberg Trials were held from 1945 to 1949, is to be the location of the

International Nuremberg Principles Academy. Nuremberg is closely linked to

both the crimes of National Socialism and the way these crimes were dealt

with by criminal law.

The idea to establish the International Nuremberg Principles Academy was

launched by the Board of Trustees of the Documentation Centre Nazi Party

Rally Grounds. Members include the Bavarian Prime Minister, Horst Seehofer,

the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Bernd Neumann, the Lord Mayor of

the City of Nuremberg, Dr. Ulrich Maly, and Charlotte Knobloch, president of

the Jewish Congregation of Munich and Upper Bavaria, as well as other

representatives of the Federal Government, the Free State of Bavaria and the

City of Nuremberg. The Board’s spokesman is former Federal Minister of

Building, Dr. Oscar Schneider. The foundation of the International Nuremberg

Principles Academy receives financial support from the Federal Republic’s

Foreign Office, from the Free State of Bavaria and the City of Nuremberg.

Prof. Dr. Christoph Safferling, Prof. Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt, Prof. Dr. Eckart Conze

and Prof. Dr. Anja Seibert-Fohr, recommend in their Project and Feasibility Study

the foundation of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy. The members

of the International Expert Advisory Board, including practitioners of international

criminal law, such as Hans-Peter Kaul, Judge at the International Criminal Court,

and Serge Brammertz, Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the

former Yugoslavia, support the recommendations of the Founding Committee.

Nuremberg, location of the Academy

Recommendations by the Scientific Founding Committee

Initiative

The International Nuremberg Principles Academy is to establish

a worldwide forum at the historical venue of the Nuremberg

Trials. Jurists from international criminal courts, academics,

diplomats and opinion leaders from all over the world will

discuss aspects of international criminal law here.

Following the recommendations of the Scientific Founding

Committee, the International Academy will develop activities

in the fields of target group specific in-service training, inter-

disciplinary research and human rights education. With target

group specific training seminars, for example for governments,

legal practitioners and journalists from countries affected

by major human rights violations, the Academy will promote

the translation of international criminal law to national law.

Knowledge gained in the training and human rights education

seminars will also be integrated into the inter-disciplinary

research of the International Academy.

With its activities, the International Nuremberg Principles

Academy will make a systematic contribution towards

implementing the Nuremberg Principles, the core of today’s

international criminal law. The International Nuremberg

Principles Academy is to be established as a foundation.

Wide ranging material and non-material support will be

needed for its establishment and its future work. Contact and Further Information:

Founding Office

International Nuremberg Principles

Academy

Egidienplatz 23

90403 Nuremberg

Tel: +49 (0)911 231-14206

Fax: +49 (0)911 231-14020

[email protected]

www.international-nuremberg-

principles-academy.de

“We want to continue where Robert H. Jackson finished in his closing

address. Jackson not only banked on the power of moral conviction, but

also on the preventative effect of criminal law, as seen within national

states. 1945 marked the ‘end of impunity’ for grave breaches of inter-

national law – war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against

peace. The International Nuremberg Principles Academy wants to make

a systematic, holistic and interdisciplinary contribution towards the

implementation of the Nuremberg Principles. The foundation of the

Academy is in keeping with the German policy of promoting the rule of

law and the protection of human rights worldwide.”

“Nuremberg changed the world. With the Nuremberg Principles, the

foundation was laid for a new order applicable to all of humanity, with

equal rights for all. With the Academy, building this new order can be

continued, with the particular legitimacy and the historical credibility

which only Nuremberg can offer. The time is not just right for this new

institution, its foundation in the near future is absolutely necessary in

the current situation.”

“The International Nuremberg Principles Academy is to establish a world-

wide forum promoting the exchange of experience between practitioners

working in international and national criminal jurisdiction. In order to

strengthen an active complementarity at national and international levels,

the Scientific Founding Committee recommends three fields of action:

inter-disciplinary research, target group specific training and human rights

education.”

Dr. Oscar Schneider,

Former Federal Minister

Spokesperson of the Board

of Trustees for the Documentation

Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds

Dr. h.c. Hans-Peter Kaul,

Judge at the International Criminal Court

Prof. Dr. Christoph Safferling,

Spokesperson of the Scientific Founding

Committee

Establishing the International Nuremberg Principles AcademyThe Academy as a Forum

The Academy’s Goals

Initiative

Founding Office

Academy

Egidienplatz 23

90403 Nuremberg

Tel: +49 (0)911 231-14206

Fax: +49 (0)911 231-14020

[email protected]

education.”

Committee

Initiative

Founding Office

Academy

Egidienplatz 23

90403 Nuremberg

Tel: +49 (0)911 231-14206

Fax: +49 (0)911 231-14020

[email protected]

education.”

Committee

Internationally renowned experts in international law from both practice and

research met for a High-Level Symposium. They included the Judges Thomas

Buergenthal and Hans-Peter Kaul, as well as representatives of leading Non-

Government Organisations, such as Richard Dicker (Human Rights Watch) and

David Tolbert (International Center for Transitional Justice), criminal defence

lawyers at international criminal courts, and the former President of the Sierra

Leone Tribunal, Geoffrey Robertson.

Government representatives with considerable experience in international

criminal law, such as Harold Koh (then legal adviser at the US State Office),

Stephen Rapp (US Special Ambassador), and the Permanent Representatives to

the United Nations, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid (Jordan) and Christian Wenaweser

(Liechtenstein) presented an overview of the character and the tasks for a future

International Nuremberg Principles Academy.

The symposium’s participants agreed that the power of the new Academy to

bring together influential people as well as its potential for imparting education

must be rated very highly.

First Activities

To mark the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the International Criminal

Court (ICC), the conference “Through the Lens of Nuremberg – The International

Criminal Court at its Tenth Anniversary” was held.

Speakers included ICC President, Sang-Hyun Song; the Chief Prosecutor at the

ICC, Fatou Bensouda; the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome

Statute of the ICC, Tiina Intelmann; high-ranking representatives from situation

countries, such as Githu Muigai, Attorney General for the Republic of Kenya; and

representatives of organisations such as the Arab League.

At this conference, experts from the International Criminal Court and officials

from situation countries and Non-Member States who normally do not meet were

brought together in an open discussion forum.

High-Level Symposium Journalists from States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC were given

in-service training by specialised media coaches during a one week Media

Workshop.

“In order to sharpen awareness on issues of international justice, we need

well informed and professionally trained local journalists who can enlighten

the affected population about the goals and the procedure of the Inter-

national Criminal Court, ” said journalist Bettina Ambach, Director of the

Foundation “Wayamo”, after doing the first Media Training in Nuremberg.

“In Nuremberg, I understood the origins of international criminal law.

It also became clear to me how important it is to remember human rights

crimes – and how necessary it is to deal with them,” confirms radio

journalist Judie Kaberia from Kenya.

Students from the United States were given further training in a Summer

School on international criminal law. The programme is characterised

by its focus on practical issues. Kenyan students also took part in this

Summer School.

“Right from the start it was clear that the programme was not only going

to provide me with career opportunities, but also satisfy my thirst for

knowledge about international criminal law. Because the venue was

Nuremberg, the cradle of international criminal law, it gave me the

opportunity of getting to know both the city and the court room where

the Nuremberg Trials were held.”

“The special thing about the Summer School was that different people

from different cultures got together. This made me a more open and more

tolerant person and gave me a better understanding of other cultures.”

Darleen Seda

William Kahare Muthee

International Conference “Through the Lens of Nuremberg”

Training with Journalists Summer School

First Activities

Workshop.

Summer School.

Darleen Seda

First Activities

Workshop.

Summer School.

Darleen Seda

First Activities

Workshop.

Summer School.

Darleen Seda

Initiative

Founding Office

Academy

Egidienplatz 23

90403 Nuremberg

Tel: +49 (0)911 231-14206

Fax: +49 (0)911 231-14020

[email protected]

education.”

Committee

International Nuremberg Principles Academy...Benjamin Ferencz, Prosecutor in the Nuremberg...

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