Lemkin, Genocide and the Modern World – online seminar
When: Tuesday, March 14, 2023, 12:00 PM (NYC)/ 17:00 (Warsaw, Poland)
Featured Speakers:
Ambassador Stephen Rapp, the United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice as the keynote speaker
and the Distinguished Faculty:
Prof. Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, Professor in Political Sciences at the University of Warsaw
Prosecutor Thomas Hannis, former lead prosecutor, UN International Criminal Tribunal Yugoslavia
Prof. A. Dirk Moses, Anne and Bernard Spitzer Professor of Political Science at the City College of New York, CUNY
Prof. Ana Filipa Vrdoljak, The UNESCO Chair in International Law and Cultural Heritage, Technical University, Sydney, Australia
Dr. Mykola Yurlov, International Humanitarian Law and Policy Advisor, member of the Council of the Ukrainian Bar Association in Kyiv
Moderator: Dr. Elizabeth M. Zechenter, a Visiting Scholar at the Emory University
Rafael Lemkin was a Polish Jewish lawyer best known for coining the term “genocide” and a key person behind the creation of the UN Genocide Convention. For that work, he was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. On the 50th anniversary of the Convention entering into force, Lemkin was honored by the UN Secretary-General as an inspiring example of moral engagement.
This seminar is the second part of the webinar series discussing various definitions of the crime of “genocide” and its applicability to the current events in Ukraine and beyond. It debates whether Lemkin’s ideas are helpful in the prosecution of mass murder and other crimes aimed at eliminating or erasing entire groups of people. It also addresses the likelihood of a successful prosecution of atrocities committed in Ukraine, either as war crimes, crimes against humanity, or a crime of aggression, via either international or national courts or via special tribunals.
Watch the recording of the first part of the webinar series – click HERE.
The webinar is presented jointly by the Jagiellonian Law Society and the Kosciuszko Foundation. It is free and open to the public. Spots are limited. Registration is required. 
Click HERE to download the webinar brochure.
