In December, the world will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – a watershed moment in the development of international human rights and the idea that all states have a legal as well as moral interest in the way states treat their own citizens. Understanding how states have used the Convention – both in theory and in practice – can help us collectively think about the Convention’s contributions to preventing and punishing the crime of genocide. It also raises questions about the potential for other legal instruments that could address crimes against humanity. In commemoration of the 70th anniversary, the Ferencz International Justice Initiative at the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has commissioned an extensive study of the United States Government’s experience in dealing with these issues.
Please join us for a thoughtful discussion of these issues, including how these legal tools have been used, how to strengthen their utility, and how to address remaining gaps in the international legal framework’s approach to preventing and punishing atrocity crimes.
A wine and cheese reception will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the panel discussion at 6:30.
Panelists:
- Todd Buchwald, Woodrow Wilson Center
- Anna Cave, Ferencz International Justice Initiative (Moderator)
- Avril Haines, Columbia University
- Sean Murphy, Professor, George Washington University Law School