Nuremberg Forum 2018 Conference Report "20th Anniversary of the Rome Statute: Law, Justice and Politics”

About

This conference report is based on the high-level discussions of the Nuremberg Forum 2018, held at Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany on 19 and 20 October 2018, and captures key arguments, central debates and various perspectives, as well as a number of significant issues for further consideration and debate. The Nuremberg Forum 2018, the fourth annual conference of the Nuremberg Academy, commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute. In light of the carefully chosen focus on “Law, Justice, and Politics”, the goal of the conference was to critically underline pertinent issues with regard to the functioning of the first permanent ICC through the lens of the past, present and future.

By bringing together distinguished academics and practitioners, with a wealth of relevant expertise, the Nuremberg Academy provided a forum for dialogue and critical reflection. It has also provided an invaluable opportunity to look toward the next 20 years and shed light on the current challenges for which the panels were designed to provide possible recommendations. This report highlights these recommendations within each panel. It captures the important discussions in a succinct format and lists three key considerations per panel for further debate and discussion. It is not aiming to be a verbatim report of the conference, but rather a comprehensive, yet concise account of the key points, discussions and analyses reflecting the nature and scope of the conference. Thus, the report has a two-fold purpose. First, to reflect on the discussions and outcomes of the conference. Second, it aims to capture the developments of the past 20 years and agreeable practical steps that can be taken into consideration for the future. This report can be of interest to a wide range of readers, including experts from various fields, practitioners and academics. This is consistent with the Nuremberg Academy’s mandate to encourage the promotion of sustainable peace through justice via scholarship, research and capacity building.