Paris, France – The International Council on Archives (ICA), in collaboration with swisspeace and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will host a significant side event at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The event, titled “Ensuring the Preservation of and Access to the Records of Temporary International Criminal Courts and Investigative Mechanisms,” will take place on 12 September 2024, from 13:00 to 14:00 CET at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
This session will address the vital issue of preserving and providing access to the vast archives created by temporary international criminal tribunals and investigative mechanisms over the past three decades. These institutions, including the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and others, have generated extensive records that are essential for understanding the conflicts they addressed and for the development of international justice.
Despite the importance of these archives, their future is uncertain. The event will gather experts—including a former prosecutor, representatives from the United Nations archival system, international archivists, and legal experts —to discuss the current status of these archives, the challenges and opportunities for their preservation, and the urgent measures needed to ensure their long-term availability.
Panelists:
Former Prosecutor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone (online participation)
Co-founder UMAM for Documentation and Research, Lebanon
Head of the Dealing with the Past (DwP) Program, swisspeace
Chief of the Archives Unit at the UN (online participation)
Former Acting Archivist of the United States and current member of the ICA's Section on Archives and Human Rights (ICA/SAHR)
The concept note for this event can be found at the bottom of this page.
Livestream Details:
The ICA will be livestreaming the event on its YouTube channel to ensure wider access to this critical discussion.
The recording of the event has been made available for those who wish to view it at a later date (see below).
About the Human Rights Council:
The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system, consisting of 47 states tasked with promoting and protecting human rights globally. The Council addresses thematic human rights issues and situations requiring its attention throughout the year. The Council meets at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Contact Information:
For more information, please contact us to communications@ica.org
