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2019-07-26

Thematic Conference Protection of the Natural Environment and Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict: under Geneva Conventions and Beyond

Thematic Conference

Protection of the Natural Environment and Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict: under Geneva Conventions and Beyond

October, 2019, Tbilisi, Georgia

Call for papers

International Law Institute of the Tbilisi State University together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (Delegation of Tbilisi), organizes a thematic conference on ‘ Protection of the Natural Environment and Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict: under Geneva Conventions and Beyond’. The conference will be held in Tbilisi, in late October, 2019 and will be dedicated to the 70th years anniversary after the adoption of Geneva Conventions of 1949.

Senior and junior academics and practitioners (including PhD candidates and post-doctoral researchers) as well as students are invited to participate in the call for papers of the thematic conference. Authors are invited to submit by September 10, 2019, an abstract (of an original paper) which is neither published nor accepted for publication when the Conference takes place. Papers will be selected on the basis of submitted abstracts, subject to double-blind peer review. Abstracts must not exceed 800 words (including footnotes). Authors of selected abstracts for the Conference will be notified by September 20, 2019. Accepted abstracts will be distributed to the other participants in advance to facilitate an in-depth discussion during the Conference. After the Conference, submission of final papers by authors is due by November 15, 2019.

Conference theme

Protection of natural environment and biodiversity in the event of armed conflict becomes more and more challenging, especially in light of development of modern technologies, which can easily destroy species and natural habitats. The International Law Commission included the topic “Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict” in 2011 on its future program of work. It is now in the stage of finalizing the project by drafting principles that address the phases of pre-conflict, during conflict, and post-conflict in light of different fields of international law, in particular looking into the laws of armed conflict, human rights law and international environmental law. Apart from Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols of 1977, protection of natural environment is also subject of special regulation under ENMOD Convention.

Cultural heritage enjoys special protection under rules and customs of war. Notwithstanding such protection availed to cultural heritage through Geneva Conventions of 1949, Additional Protocols of 1977 or specialized international instruments (such as Hague Convention of 1954 and its additional protocols), the history of warfare has always demonstrated that buildings and monuments of cultural heritage quite often become subject of attack and destruction. Starting from the WWII, even recent events in Syria, Iraq and Yemen clearly surfaced contemporary challenges in relation to protection of cultural heritage in times of war.

To this end, eligible applicants are invited to submit abstracts on any broad topics related to the protection of natural environment and cultural heritage during armed conflict. Submissions may fit under these following subtopics, but may also touch other conference theme-related spheres of international humanitarian law and related branches of international law:
Submission

Senior and junior academics and practitioners (including PhD candidates and post-doctoral researchers), registered and having active status at one of the higher educational institutions of Georgia, are invited to participate in the call for papers. Special panel will be devoted for undergraduate and graduate students to encourage young researchers to take up academic activities from the early period of their career. Therefore, students registered and having active status at one of the higher educational institutions of Georgia are also encouraged to submit their proposals. Abstracts must be submitted to the following email addresses: s.p.pipia@gmail.com and mkardava@icrc.org. In addition to the abstract, each submission should contain, as a separate file, author’s short CV, including the author’s name and affiliation and contact details and a list of relevant publications.

After the Conference, submission of final papers by authors is due by November 15, 2019. Selected final papers will be published by the International Committee of the Red Cross, subject to peer review, in the special issue of proceedings of the thematic conference dedicated to the 70th year anniversary after adoption of Geneva Conventions.

Venue and participation

The Conference will be held at the Tbilisi State University. Special guests will be invited as key note speakers for each panel. Participation in the Conference will be open to the public. Authors of accepted abstracts will be expected to present their paper personally. Official language of the Conference is English. Please note, that translation will not be provided, therefore presenters as well as the audience are expected to have sufficient command of English language.

In parallel to the Conference, special exhibition will be held in the same venue to mark 70thyear anniversary since the adoption of Geneva Conventions. At the end of the event, reception will be hosted for the participants and audience.

Key dates
For any additional questions please refer to the focal person (Saba Pipia) on the following e-mail address: s.p.pipia@gmail.com
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