The atrocities of the 20th Century, particularly the Holocaust, led to the creation of international criminal law. Starting with the Nuremberg Tribunal and culminating in the International Criminal Court, justice has allowed survivors and their families to receive compensation, create memorials and move towards reconciliation.
With today being International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it is extraordinarily important that survivors of genocide have their stories told, heard and believed, so that future atrocities can be prevented. In the past, Holocaust research and education has led to the establishment of many Holocaust museums worldwide, including two in Australia (Sydney Jewish Museum and Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne), promoting acceptance of diversity with the goal of preventing future genocides.
This year, the TC Beirne School of Law is hosting IAGS2017, the International Association of Genocide Scholars conference, an international conference looking at justice and the prevention of genocide. IAGS2017 will:
- promote scholarship on prevention and punishment of genocide and other mass atrocities
- promote prevention of genocide through broader education on atrocities and acceptance of diversity
- create awareness of how we punish perpetrators of atrocities
- encourage students to work on prevention and punishment of genocide
- enable scholars and students to engage with international legal practitioners.
To represent the voices of some of those most affected by genocide, scholarships are also being provided for scholars and students from developing countries to attend the conference.
