T
o theordinarypublicinternationallaw
maysoundtechnicalandintimidating,
butforacademics,scholars,lawyers,
andjudgeswhodevotetheirlivesto
studyingandinterpretingthelaw,it
is a fascinatingsubjectespeciallysinceit marriesthe
theoreticalandthepractical—theidealwiththerealities
ontheground.Afterall,internationallawbothinforms
andconstrainsinternationalrelations,diplomacy,foreign
policy,wars,nationalsecurity,trade,thearbitrationof
disputes,andhumanrights.
Withtheaimto highlightthesignificanceof internationallaw,the
Philippineswillhostthe7thBiennialConferenceof AsianSociety
of InternationalLaw(AsianSIL)at NovotelManilaAranetaCenter,
QuezonCityfrom 22 to 23August.Thethemeforthisyearis “Rethinking
InternationalLaw:FindingCommonSolutionsto Contemporary
CivilisationalIssuesfromanAsianPerspective.”
Approximately 500 delegatesfromAsiaandaroundtheworldare
expectedto attendthisprestigiousconference,withjudgesfromthehighest
internationaltribunals,suchastheInternationalCourtof Justice,aswell
asleadinginternationalscholarsandexpertsfromallovertheworldas
plenaryandpanelspeakers
Hostingtheeventis a hugerecognitionandfeatforthecountry.
AsianSILpresidentHarryRoque,a professorof internationallaw,human
rightslawyer,andformerpresidentialspokesperson,is proudthatthe
nationis hostingsucha prestigiouseventforthefirsttime,signallingits role
asa leadingforcein thefieldof internationallawin theregion.
“Thishostingwillnotonlyshowourcommitmentto theruleof lawbut
it willalsohighlightinternationallaw’simportancein everydaylife,”he
elaborates.Accordingto Roque,thetheme—addressingcivilisationalissues
fromanAsianperspective—willreiteratehowinternationallaw“prescribes
forbehaviourthatis beneficialto humanbeings.”Headds:“International
lawis a normativeconductthatcanbethetoolto surmountchallenges
aheadof usincludingviolationsof theruleof warfare,threatsto civilisation
owing to climate change, maintaining law and order, threats to peace and
the realities of territorial disputes.”
These issues, says Roque, challenge not only the existence of Asia, but
also the population of the entire planet. “It is important that we fall back
onto the rule of law to push for what’s beneficial to all and to frown on
conduct that is harmful for the future.” n
For more information, go to asiansilconf2019.com
Reinforcing the Philippines’ role in
the shaping of international law in
the region, the 7th Biennial
Conference of the Asian Society
of International Law is
expected to be a platform for
leading experts to discuss Asian
legal perspectives
Governed
by Reason
HONOURABLE MENTIONS AsianSIL president Harry Roque;
(bottom) 7th AsianSIL Biennial Conference logo
PhotogrAP
hy: r
Amon m
Ang
ILA
Asian Society of International Law / tatler focus