GNF Master Class on War Crimes

The Inn is once again providing funded places for Inner Temple members to attend the Geoffrey Nice Foundation Master Class on Law, History, Politics and Society in the Context of Mass Atrocities in Dubrovnik, Croatia from Monday 30 June to Saturday 5 July.

The interdisciplinary approach of the Master Class contributes to developing the skills needed for legal and non-legal professionals who are interested in working in the fields of human rights, international humanitarian law and global justice, in the overall setting of mass atrocities. This year’s course title is Why Go To War: What If Any Law Can Stop Us? The course will explore fundamental questions on the philosophy/approach about going to war – in the West and elsewhere – and whether law has any potential to stop wars.

It will address the topic from legal, historic and philosophical viewpoints, using case studies and covering subjects such as:

• pacifism;
• peacemaking;
• the concept of war by the non-West;
• ‘Genocide’, a term used widely these days and in different ways by courts and by the general public, which needs to be properly understood if to be used constructively;
• How different forms of accountability, such as imprisonment and compensation, can work;
• What, if anything, citizens as well as politicians might do to prevent the conflicts happening.

The Master Class is a combination of lectures provided by academics, practitioners of law, NGO activists and others, together with interactive sessions, seminar-style presentations and group exercises. There will be up to one day’s worth of pre-reading. It will be desirable – essential in reality – that apart from required pre-reading all participants will have a basic understanding (internet/google equivalent) of WWII, and the wars of: the Western Balkans 1991-1999 (Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo); Russia-Ukraine; Israel-Gaza; Rwanda 1994.

This intensive 6-day course (9am-1pm; 2.30pm-7pm, with breaks) will be held at the Inter-University Centre (IUC), Dubrovnik, Croatia, from Monday 30 June – Saturday 5 July (inclusive). Those successful in their application for funding will be expected to arrive in Dubrovnik on Sunday 29 June and return on Sunday 6 July . Applicants must be able to attend the entire course.

The timetable does not allow for tourist activities apart from an organised sightseeing trip to Dubrovnik on the Monday evening.

Information about previous courses can be found on the Geoffrey Nice Foundation website.

Please note, this Master Class is not a Qualifying Session.

Funding is available for up to six Inner Temple members to attend the Master Class including:

• Return flights (up to the value of the cost of return flights from the UK to Dubrovnik). Flight bookings will be made by the Inn. If you are awarded a place on the course, you will be expected to travel out to Dubrovnik on the Sunday 29 June and to return on Sunday 6 July on the best available flights, as selected by The Inner Temple.
• Same-sex shared accommodation with other course participants (as determined and arranged by the Geoffrey Nice Foundation). Course accommodation is close to the IUC at a neighbouring Cloister (run by an order of nuns), at the IUC dormitory itself or at the University of Dubrovnik Dormitory. Single occupancy rooms are strictly limited and typically reserved for those with a medical need, but may be available for an additional sum of around £100, payable by the participant.
• Daily 3-course lunches at the IUC.

Funding will not include expenses for breakfast and evening meals (self-catering facilities will be available in the accommodation), airport transfers nor any personal spending.

Course fees of £100 are payable by the participant to the Inn and will be reimbursed to the Geoffrey Nice Foundation. This cost is to be borne by the participant to ensure parity with other course participants from the Balkans region and further afield. If you have any questions about the course fee, please contact me as soon as possible.

Those allocated funding for the Master Class will be expected to provide a 500-word review of their experiences on the course. This will assist the Inn’s evaluation of the value of the course to members. The reviews will be shared with the Geoffrey Nice Foundation and may be used (in full or in part) for publications and on social media platforms.

You are eligible to apply if you are currently undertaking or have passed the Bar Course from 2021 onwards, whether or not you have been Called to the Bar, attained or started pupillage or are in tenancy. Those who have applied to attend a past course but were not selected are eligible to re-apply. Those who have attended a past course are sadly not eligible to apply.

British, EU and/or Schengen Area passport holders do not need a visa to visit Croatia for visits of up to 90 days. Your passport should be in good condition and valid for a minimum period of 3 months from the date of your exit from Croatia. Details of entry requirements for British passport holders are available on the gov.uk foreign travel advice section on Croatia. Details for EU/Schengen Area passport holders are available on the European Commission website.

Other international passport holders should visit the Croatian Embassy website for more information about entry requirements. The Inn is not equipped to provide guidance on visa requirements but may be able to provide supporting documentation if required. Please note, if you require a visa and your application is successful, it will be your responsibility to identify and arrange a visa in good time and at your expense.

Please complete the online application below by the deadline of 12 noon on Thursday 27 February 2025.

You will be asked to provide personal and professional information; a short statement of interest; details of any volunteering you have done for the Inn and/or profession; to upload a copy of your CV; and to answer three short opinion-based application questions which relate to the course content (but do not anticipate an in-depth knowledge of the topics).

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. All applications will be assessed by a panel including Master Geoffrey Nice. Funded places on the Master Class will be awarded on merit and the perceived benefit to the member in attending the course. Members will be notified whether or not their application has been successful as soon as possible.

Please contact Wanda Szwed, Executive Assistant to the Sub-Treasurer, with any questions.