Just Peace Open Day
- Date: 16 October
- label.tijd 10:00 - 17:00
- Location: The Hague
Have you ever walked past an imposing building in The Hague and thought ‘I wonder what goes on in there?’ Here’s your chance to find out!
On October 16 a huge range of famous buildings and institutions in The Hague will be throwing open their doors! Walk the corridors of power, get an inside view of international justice, or just marvel at the beautiful architecture. There’s something for everyone!
The Hague Conference on Private International Law
Since 1893, the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) works for the progressive unification of the rules of private international law through the negotiation, adoption and monitoring of international treaties – the HCCH Conventions - and other legal instruments. The HCCH Conventions and normative projects deal with a wide range of issues – child protection, adoption, vulnerable adults, trade, investment, tourism, the digital economy and more - with a direct practical impact on individuals, families and companies.
What happens if a person in the Philippines seeks child support from their ex-partner in Portugal, or if a child in Australia is wrongfully taken to Argentina by their parent, in breach of the other parent’s rights of custody? Can a witness in Morocco provide evidence in a civil case in Mexico, or a high school diploma issued in the Dominican Republic be recognised in Denmark? How is an international treaty developed, which obstacles might arise in its implementation, and which emerging contemporary challenges might benefit from the development of new private international law solutions?
Join the HCCH’s Open Day to learn more! The HCCH will be open to visitors between 10:30 and 14:00, with presentations scheduled at 11:00 and 13:00.
Eurojust
Join us to gain unique insights into the work of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation at our headquarters in The Hague.
After two years of virtual Open Days, we are happy to be finally able to invite you back to our building in the heart of the International Zone in The Hague. For those of you who cannot make it in person, we will offer a dedicated website with a wealth of information and videos specially produced for this occasion, as well as the opportunity to listen live to the presentations via Twitter Spaces.
An experienced prosecutor will give each group a presentation about our work in fighting cross-border crime and terrorism – this is your chance to learn first-hand how our Agency helps to make Europe safer. After the presentation, you will have sufficient time to visit the activity fair in our lobby, ask questions, pick up publications and learn more about career opportunities at Eurojust.
Human Rights Space
Are you wondering what a human rights NGO looks like? Who is working there? What they are working towards, and whom they are working with?
Come visit the home base of three NGOs in The Hague’s “Human Rights Space” and be ready to unlock their spaces to find the answers to your questions. Each space hides interactive experiences and challenges to discover, learn and connect to the human rights work field.
You are welcome to visit the Human Rights Space building between 14:00 – 17:00. Please let the organisers know below which timeslot you prefer and with how many people you will be joining, so they can plan the best experience for you! Please make sure to arrive before 16:30, and note the whole experience should take approximately 30 minutes.
*The language of the experience will be English, Dutch speakers from the participating organisations will be present to help if needed.
Book your ticket for the Human Rights Space
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts. Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the world's first permanent international criminal court.
Visitors are welcome to arrive at the ICC between 10:00 and 16:15. There is no need to reserve a specific time slot. Estimated time of visit: 1 and half hours.
Visitors must present a valid ID to go through ICC Security before entering the ICC.
Enter the ICC Public Gallery to view the Courtroom: Presentations there include a video and Q&A with Court staff and run every hour (first session at 10:30). Learn how the ICC, as a permanent Court of last resort, works to bring justice to victims of some of the world’s worst crimes, and pose your questions to ICC experts.
Visitors are then welcome to visit other information booths throughout the public area of the building, to learn about jobs and internships, the Trust Fund for Victims, as well as the Office of the Prosecutor and investigations. There is also a small activity space for families with young children.
The last Courtroom presentation will begin at 16:30. No visitors will be allowed to enter the building after 16:15, and the final visitors can stay until 17:00. Note that the ICC will take photos for posting on social media throughout Open Day.
Kosovo Specialist Chambers
As part of the Just Peace Festival, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers is happy to welcome you to their premises for a tour and presentation on the mandate and work of the Court. For an hour, our outreach team will show you around the public areas of the court including the press briefing room, the media centre and the public gallery overlooking the courtroom. During this time, we will tell you more about the establishment of the Chambers, the ongoing legal proceedings and the KSC Outreach programme. There will be two time slots available for the tour of the KSC, at 10:00am and 12:30pm. Due to limited seating arrangements, we will only be able to accommodate a maximum of 30 participants per timeslot. Please note that a valid form of identification will be requested before accessing the premises.
Book your ticket for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers
OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities
The High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) gets involved in a situation if, in her judgement, there are tensions involving national minorities which could develop into a conflict. The HCNM will host two presentations for Just Peace Open Day. The presentations will detail the day-to-day work of the HCNM and its long-term impact. A discussion and Q&A session will be possible afterwards.
Book your ticket for OSCE HCNM
Europol
Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency. Their main goal is to achieve a safer Europe for the benefit of all EU citizens. Europol supports the 27 EU member states in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime, and other serious and organised forms of crime.
Europol will present The Recovered Collection for Just Peace Open Day. The Recovered Collection is an exhibition of artefacts and archaeological treasures that law enforcement has successfully recovered from art thieves and looters.
Archaeological looting, art theft, art forgery and the illegal export of cultural goods are some of the most common forms of cultural goods crime conducted by cross-border organised criminal groups. These crimes have a devastating impact on countries’ cultural heritage, causing the loss of inestimable works of art and the irreversible destruction of cultural sites. Furthermore, this crime is instrumental for money laundering.
In the period between 2017 and 2021, operations supported by Europol resulted in the recovery of over 200 000 cultural goods and the arrest of 418 individuals involved in this crime. Come and see a small sample of these artefacts, spanning from 500 BCE to the late medieval era.
OPCW
During Open Day 2022, visit the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – recipient of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts to rid the world of chemical weapons – to learn about chemical weapons, why we need to work together to completely eliminate them and how you can contribute.
The open day event at the OPCW will consist of a presentation about the organisation’s work to prevent the re-emergence of chemical weapons, a demonstration about OPCW’s inspection missions, a chance to learn about OPCW’s internship programme, and more!
It is important to remember to bring government issued identification to the open day event. The names must match those that were used to register.
ICMP
ICMP is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization with Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands. Its mandate is to secure the cooperation of governments and others in locating missing persons from conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, irregular migration and other causes and to assist them in doing so. It is the only international organization tasked exclusively to work on the issue of missing persons.
Join ICMP’s Just Peace Open Day event for a presentation about the work of the ICMP followed by a Q&A session.
Registration for these events, is done through EventBrite. Please be sure to select the correct timeslot and to arrive at the corresponding organisation at the correct time. For security measures, please bring a valid form of identification with you to these events.
IRMCT
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) is the successor to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), and has been tasked by the United Nations to carry on and complete the work of these two historic Tribunals.
On this year’s Open Day, take the opportunity to step inside our courtroom where, since the 1990s, dedicated Judges, lawyers, interpreters, and many others have worked in the pursuit of international justice. Over the years, dozens of the most senior military and political officials were tried in this courtroom and many were found responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in the former Yugoslavia.
Currently, the courtroom is being used for the trial against Mr. Félicien Kabuga, the former President of the Comité d’initiative of Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), who is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, and other crimes committed in Rwanda in 1994. Legal and other professionals will share their experiences working in and outside the courtroom and will be able to answer your questions about our work.
Next, to give you a better understanding of how the ICTY and, later, the IRMCT came to be, you can watch a series of short films about the events of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s that drew international condemnation.
Finally, you will be able to explore materials from the archives of the ICTY, ICTR and the IRMCT in an exhibition on Expert Witness Testimony. Here you will learn how expert witnesses with specialised knowledge in politics, history, forensic evidence, military doctrine, demographics, and many other fields, helped the Judges to understand the complex information being presented in court.
Peace Palace
The Peace Palace is home to two judicial institutions: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946. The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, and is assisted by a Registry, its administrative organ.
The PCA was established by the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, concluded at The Hague in 1899 during the first Hague Peace Conference. Among the aims of the Conference was the strengthening of systems of international dispute resolution—especially international arbitration. Today, the PCA provides services for the resolution of disputes involving various combinations of states, state entities, intergovernmental organizations, and private parties.
This is an opportunity for members of the general public to receive a guided tour of the Peace Palace building and to learn more about these two international institutions.
Book your ticket for the Peace Palace
The Hague Humanity Hub
You are welcome to visit our Open Day at the Hub between 11:00 and 14:00 and we invite you to bring your family and friends. We’ll make sure this day is a fun and inspiring Sunday event with plenty of interactive activities, including a photo exhibition by Artworks Projects, a Just Peace inspired Pop-up Podcast Wheel from Inholland, a presentation about the unique No-war peace theater project and more.
Everybody welcome!
You are also very welcome to bring your children since we'll also be focusing on making peace and justice come to life for kids, with a drawing workshop by Colours for Peace.
We would also like to invite you to join the workshop about creating a ‘safe space’ for dialogue, organised by Youth Peace Initiative. This workshop is for anyone who wants to learn how to create a safe space, and apply the basics of conflict resolution in their personal/professional life. The workshop starts at 11:00 and has limited spots.
Book your ticket for The Hague Humanity Hub
Follow the link below to register!
The Hague
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