An evening discussion for Irish legal professionals interested in supporting human rights defenders in Colombia.
Date: 1 May 2013
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Distillery Buildings, 145-152 Church Street, Dublin 7.
Christian Aid Ireland and Trócaire would like to invite you to an evening discussion seminar entitled 'Human rights defenders in Colombia: can Irish lawyers support their work?'. The seminar will hear from the Colombian Constitutional Court Judge Luis Ernesto Vargas Silva and will be held on 1 May 18:30pm in the Distillery Buildings, 145-152 Church Street, Dublin 7.
Judge Luis Ernesto Vargas Silva has spent the last 34 years working in the Colombian Judicial System and became a Constitutional Court Judge in 2009. This year he will take up his new position as Vice-President of the Constitutional Court. After such a long and distinguished history advocating for human rights, his knowledge of the human rights context in Colombia is extensive. Judge Luis Ernesto Vargas Silva is also responsible for monitoring the Colombian Constitutional Court Orders on forced displacement, women and sexual violence in conflict and land restitution amongst others.
Judge Vargas will discuss the challenges of working in the Colombian legal system, in particular the ongoing threats to judges, and give his perspective on the current human rights context. His presentation will be followed by a discussion on how Irish lawyers could potentially support human rights defenders in Colombia.
Agenda: 'Human rights defenders in Colombia: can Irish lawyers support their work?'
18:30: Chair's welcome: Donncha O'Connell, School of Law, NUI Galway,
18:40: Overview of the human rights situation in Colombia: Judge Vargas
19:15: An avenue for Irish lawyers: Ceartas, Irish Lawyers for Human Rights
19:30: Facilitated discussion on how Irish lawyers can support human rights defenders in Colombia
20:30: Close
Places are limited so registration to kbalfe@christian-aid.org is essential.