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The City Law School’s Dr Aldo Zammit Borda leads Masterclass session on International Criminal Justice at the Inter-University Centre of Dubrovnik.

By Mr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published (Updated )

On Tuesday 2 July 2024, Dr Aldo Zammit Borda, Reader at The City Law School, led an expert, all-day Masterclass session in International Criminal Justice for the Geoffrey Nice Foundation (GNF) at the Inter-University Centre of Dubrovnik.

The Masterclass Programme was entitled:  “Genocide. Citizen, State, Victims, Accountability.” It explored cases of genocide and other mass atrocities, and its aim was to provide an in-depth examination of complex case studies from conflicts across the

It also looked at potential cases within current conflicts, such as in Ukraine-Russia, and Israel-Gaza.

The Masterclass offered an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and addressing mass atrocities, with students engaged with the legal, historical, political, and social contexts of large-scale human rights violations, through lectures, interactive sessions, film screenings, and group exercises.

Bangladesh and Myanmar Rohingya

The Masterclass that Dr Zammit Borda delivered focused on cases within the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 and also the more recent cases of the Rohingya people brought against Myanmar, including the refugee crisis of 2017 where Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh. He shared how these two conflicts remain underrepresented in international discourse and are deprioritised on the global agenda.

Dr Zammit Borda’s session provided an in-depth exploration of these events, with students engaged with interactive exercises, including negotiating, defending challenging country positions, and drafting compromise language. This hands-on approach aimed to enhance their understanding of the complexities and nuances involved in these conflicts.

Participants were also provided original documentaries and presentations by other invited speakers, including Rodney Dixon KC, who has submitted applications to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on behalf of the Rohingya people.

Dr Aldo Zammit Borda moderating a discussion on the 1971 War of Liberation in Bangladesh.

Other speakers across the week-long Masterclass Programme included Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, founder of GNF, and the former Lead Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Chair of the China Tribunal and Uyghur Tribunal; Sonja Biserko, President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia; and Dr. Sunčana Roksandić, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Zagreb and Head of the Croatian Unit of the UNESCO Anti-Corruption Academic Initiative.

The program included screenings of documentaries and films, including, “Living Without a Country: The Rohingya Exile” and “Milošević on Trial,” followed by discussions with filmmakers and experts.

Rodney Dixon KC addressing students at the Masterclass.

Dr Zammit Borda said:

This Masterclass offered a unique opportunity to engage with the complexities of international crimes directly. By interacting with leading experts and peers, students were able to bridge the gap between theory and practice, preparing them to address these serious issues effectively in their future careers.

Dr Zammit Borda’s participation in the event was made possible through the support of The City Law School’s Research Fund.

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