Seminar: Humanitarian Law for Church and Aid Workers

Heythrop College

A half-day seminar led by Philip King Alcock OBE at Heythrop College on Thursday 8 May, 2pm – 7pm.

Humanitarian law is said to be essential knowledge for soldiers, politicians and judges but the basics of such law are also essential for modern missionary, development and aid workers – all the more so in the asymmetric civil wars and religious conflicts of our generation. One cannot properly protect and judge without parameters and the moral humanitarian rights parameters for protection of civilians and prisoners in conflicts are key to fair assessments and to just condemnations that may be made by those who work with and assess such victims and their families.

This afternoon seminar is designed to introduce Church and NGO personnel to the relevant humanitarian law and to equip them to deal responsibly with the conflict situations they are likely to encounter. Experience shows that very often first reports of abuses come from such workers in the field.

Philip King Alcock OBE is an expert in international criminal law and international humanitarian law (war law). He worked in Zimbabwe as a human rights defence lawyer. He was appointed by the UN in Kosovo as one of the first post WW2 international prosecutors in Europe. He subsequently spent four years as one of a small number of international prosecutors at the State Court of Bosnia and prosecuted war rape and other terrible crimes. He was awarded an OBE in recognition of his work.

The cost of the event is £20, payable on the day. To reserve a place, contact Robert Ivermee: r.ivermee@heythrop.ac.uk; Heythrop College, University of London, Kensington Square, London, W8 5HN. For further details, visit www.heythrop.ac.uk/hirs.