our Second Summer Academy
The second IFLOS Summer Academy at
the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea took place from 3
to 31 August 2008 and focused again on the "Uses and Protection of
the Sea - Legal, Economic and Natural Science Perspectives".
Participants
The Foundation welcomed 31
participants from 24 different countries. Five of these were
selected by the Tribunal within the framework of the ITLOS NIPPON
Program on Dispute Settlement; 26 were chosen by the Foundation in
close cooperation with the Tribunal out of more than 90 applicants
from 54 nations. There were not only considerably more
applications than in 2007 (70) with a notable increase of
applicants from African countries but also a higher degree of
academic qualification and professional achievements amongst the
applicants. The foundation noted continued interest from DOALOS and
the Permanent
Court of Arbitration. The sponsors made it possible to award 17
scholarships for applicants from developing countries, i.e., for
more than half of the available places at the Academy.
Schedule
As its predecessor, the 2008 Academy
covered a variety of Law of the Sea, Maritime Law and related
topics from other disciplines and dealt extensively with specific
subjects of interest, namely marine environmental protection,
climate change and the oceans, the resources of the continental
shelf, oil pollution and its consequences, fisheries and - last but
not least - ship-building and vessel-financing. The participants
took also part in a workshop on maritime delimitation (held by
experts from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office) where they
could actively pursue the solution of practical problems, a visit
to the laboratory of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH)
in Hamburg-Sülldorf and a visit to the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and
International Private Law in Hamburg. A copy of the schedule
is attached.
Faculty
During the four weeks of the
program, the participants had the opportunity to meet an impressive
faculty composed of about 40 renowned personalities who travelled
to Hamburg from many different corners of the world to share their
expertise and experience with the participants. The Foundation is
especially grateful for the valuable contributions by the members
of the Tribunal represented by former Presidents Judge Thomas A.
Mensah, and Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum, Vice President Helmut Türk,
Judges Tafsir Ndiaye and Vladimir Golitsyn as well
as the Registrar Philippe Gautier. Many members of the Faculty
of 2007 - legal and economic experts from the maritime domain,
natural scientists, and experienced practitioners in maritime
affairs - (in particular those having received favourable feedback
from last year's participants) could be won to return to Hamburg.
We should like to mention that all members of the faculty were
engaged in teaching at the Summer Academy on an pro bono
basis and the Foundation appreciates their commitment. A copy of
the List of Lecturers is attached.
Open Event - Panel
Discussion
As a new part of the Summer Academy,
the Foundation organised a panel discussion, chaired by Prof. Dr. Doris
König on the topical subject "Ship Air Emissions" with a
high-profile group of participants which draw considerable interest
from a numerous and active audience.
Open Event - Guest
Lecture
Participants and many guests had the
privilege of listening to a distinguished guest lecturer, Professor
David Caron from the University of California at Berkeley on "The
Oceans in the Nuclear Age".
Moot Court
Four teams of five participants each
competed in the Moot Court Tournament on the "Fryxell Case" (based
on the Tribunal's Saiga II decision) held in the Court
Room of the Tribunal and gave an impressive performance. Although
there was not much time to prepare the memorials and the hearings,
the participants came up with well-prepared arguments and sharp
answers to the questions put to them by the moot court bench
consisting of Judge Helmut Tuerk from the Tribunal, Prof. Dr.
Alexander Proelß, Mr Hartmut von Brevern and Prof. Dr. Doris König.
As suggested by the Class of 2007, the moot court judges this year
chose a winning Team and awarded 3 special recognitions for oral
argumentation.
Resolution
A group of 11 participants drafted a
Final Resolution on the results of the Summer Academy in English
and French, highlighting the achievements of the first Summer
Academy and giving valuable proposals for possible future
improvements. Fiona Bloor (United Kingdom) and Christophe Bertrand
Bitse Ekomo (Cameroon) read the Resolution at the Senate Reception;
copies of both versions are
attached.
Extra-curricular
Activities
Although the schedule was tight,
there was some time reserved for extra-curricular activities. The
participants had the opportunity to do some sight-seeing in Hamburg
and its vicinity during a very informative bus tour (including the
harbour), they walked through the narrow streets of the beautiful
medieval city of Lübeck and made a stop at the beach of
Timmendorfer Strand. Furthermore, the participants visited the Aker
Ship-building yard and the Hanseatic City of Wismar where the mayor
held a reception for them.
The Foundation also managed to
organise an excursion to Berlin where the group was invited to the
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs and met
by the Parliamentary State Secretary Karin Roth. Following a lively
discussion, Ms Roth spontaneously invited the group to a private
tour through the Reichstag including rooms which are
normally not open to the public. A walk through the capital
and a visit to the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs concluded
this highlight.
Senate
Reception
At the close of the Summer Academy,
the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg held an
impressive reception in the Town Hall, hosted by Senator of Justice
Till Steffen, where the participants received their
certificates.
A Growing
Network
Although the participants came from
very diverse legal and cultural backgrounds they got along with
each other very well and formed a wonderful, very active and
interested group. With their help, the Foundation will try to keep
track of all of them to further facilitate networking and add to
the Alumni circle founded by the Class of 2007. The feedback given
by the participants was in every sense overwhelmingly positive,
especially concerning the consistency of the group and the quality
of the lectures delivered. Finally, the Foundation would like
to wholeheartedly thank President Wolfrum, the Registrar Mr.
Gautier, the Deputy-Registrar Mr. Kim and all the staff members of
the Tribunal who have supported the team of the Foundation so well
before and during the course of the Summer Academy.
∞
After the Summer Academy is
before the Summer Academy.