Global Network for International Law
The Société française pour le Droit international (French Society of International Law – SFDI) has taken the initiative to organize a Meeting of Regional and National Societies for International Law – including the national branches of the International Law Association which, in a number of countries, constitute the national society for international law.
The Strasbourg Meeting of May, 2015, had various purposes. It aimed at favoring a better coordination and more joint activities between the societies for international law, so as to develop the audience of each particular society in particular. It has been also conceived as a way to promote the practical role societies can play by increasing their cooperation with both the public and the private sectors.
Did the manifestation meet its goals?
The meeting has been a real success: 50 societies for international law were present, and exchanged views on their future and the future of their cooperation. It was thus confirmed that there is a real interest for the formula of a global network. The participants did express their will to keep in touch and continue to work in a spirit of cooperation. As a consequence the Global Network must become both a way to strengthen coordination between the societies for international law, and an international forum for discussion for the future.
- The participants highlighted that a wider audience of the societies’ work within the media and international actors should be guaranteed thanks to the Global Network.
- The need to develop a further cooperation between the societies for international law has also been strengthened. More joint initiatives should be favored, such as international co-organized symposiums.
- The Global Network will favor the development of societies of international law.
First and foremost, new societies have been created in the perspective of the Meeting. Best practices have already emerged, and will go on emerging thanks to the Global Network if regular exchanges take place. By being less isolated, the societies for international law wish they could become stronger.
Second, the Global Network should be a way for societies to increase their widespread audience while having the other societies publish information on their activities and structural evolutions. Each society should also find a better audience if it provides pieces of information about the activities of the other ones.
Last but not least, the Global Network should favor a better cooperation between societies for international law: every non-national society who organises a seminar, a course or a symposium in a territory should work in coordination with the local societies for international law.
In a nutshell, the Strasbourg Meeting did confirm that many perspectives do exist for the Global Network to develop. Let’s just hope that every society will be taking its chance to participate in this movement and help it happen.
For any communication concerning the Network please contact Dr Clémentine Bories – cbories@u-paris10.fr (Associate Professor, Université Paris ouest, Nanterre La Défense)
