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Opening Ceremony of the Master of Laws in Transnational Crime and Justice 2018-2019

UNICRI and UPEACE

UNICRI HQs, Turin -

The inaugural Ceremony of the 2019 edition of the Master of Laws in Transnational Crime and Justice (LL.M) will be held on 4 February 2019 at the United Nations Campus in Turin. The Master is organised by UNICRI in partnership with the University for Peace (UPEACE).

The Ceremony will be opened at 3 p.m. by the Director a.i. of UNICRI, Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas. Special interventions will also be made by Minister Plenipotentiary Francesca Tardioli, Deputy Director General for Political Affairs and Security and Principal Director for the United Nations and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy; Professor Mihir Kanade, Director, Human Rights Centre, UPEACE; Colonel Andrea Monti, Director of the Post Conflict Operations Study Centre of the Italian Army; and Councillor Roberto Brizio, Attornet-at-Law, Member of the Turin Bar Council and of the Commission on International Relations. The Ceremony will also be a unique opportunity to meet with Mr. Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide who will deliver a keynote speech on Learning from the past: challenges and opportunities for the prevention of genocide. The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide acts as a catalyst to raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide, to alert the Secretary-General and the Security Council where there is a risk of genocide, and to advocate and mobilize for appropriate action.

The LL.M., running from November 2018 to July 2019, addresses the topical issues and the main priorities of the international community, focusing on issues related to peace and conflicts. This special training opportunity will allow participants to specialize in the fields of humanitarian law, international criminal law, international human rights law, international law dimensions of peace and conflicts, transnational crimes and transitional justice.

The LL.M group of participants is composed by 46 students from 24 countries. The LL.M sets as its core objective the education and training of new generations on core issues related to justice and peace that, beyond a highly specialized knowledge and expertise, require above all a comprehensive vision of international scenarios and the capacity to address and cope with today’s major challenges.

This excellence programme includes in its faculty internationally renowned experts from the academia and practitioners from International Organisations, International Tribunals and the UN System.

Capacity-building and specialized training are UNICRI's core business and cut across its programme of work on various thematic areas with the aim of creating and testing new and holistic approaches to prevent crime and promote justice, human rights and development.

According to the Director of UNICRI, Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas “In too many countries we are witnessing death and destruction. The abuses perpetuated against millions of people are open wounds in our collective consciousness and a painful reminder that much progress is needed to foster international justice. The enforcement of international criminal law is a powerful tool to prevent new conflicts and achieve lasting peace. The LL.M reflects our belief that youth education and employment are the best investment a society can make. Without a new generation of highly-skilled professionals we have no means to win our battle for peace, security and development.”

The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng noted “Just a few months ago we commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This Convention, adopted in 1948, was a demonstration of the international community’s commitment to prevent the horrors of the Second World War from reoccurring. Progress has been made since its adoption. In particular, the establishment of the International Criminal Court has helped to promote accountability for genocide and other atrocity crimes. Ensuring accountability for past crimes is one of the most effective ways of deterring their reoccurrence. Unfortunately, many challenges remain. There have been too many instances where we have failed to prevent genocide and other atrocity crimes from occurring. Alarmingly, we are currently witnessing a decline in the respect for international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law as well as a resurgent of hatred, racism and xenophobia. Now more than ever must remember the failures of the past that promoted the establishment of these instruments and recommit to the international norms that protect populations from the most serious forms of violence. “

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