President Gatti Santana launches seventh cycle of the Mechanism’s Inter-University Video Lecture Programme
Today, Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), launched the seventh cycle of the Mechanism’s Inter-University Video Lecture Programme (Programme), addressing postgraduate students from 14 law faculties and one political sciences faculty from across the former Yugoslavia. In her lecture, the President focused on the creation, jurisdiction, and mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
President Gatti Santana warmly welcomed the attending students and professors, stressing the importance of fostering a regional network of students dedicated to examining and engaging with the legacy of the ICTY. The President also emphasised the vital role of educating the younger generations about the ICTY’s legal and factual contributions, in an era increasingly shaped by historical revisionism, genocide denial, the glorification of war criminals, and the erosion of accountability for international crimes. In addition to presenting the historical and political background of establishing the ICTY, and its groundbreaking achievements and challenges, the President briefed the participants about the current phase of the Mechanism as the successor of both the ICTY and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. President Gatti Santana concluded her lecture by urging the students to carry forward the ICTY’slegacy and principles in their respective countries or at the international level.
The Programme, entitled “International Law and Facts Established before the ICTY”, offers a series of online lectures over several months, featuring Principals, Judges, and staff from the Mechanism, as well as former ICTY staff and other experts. It covers the recent history of the region, the ICTY’s contributions, and foundational principles of international criminal law and international humanitarian law.
Over the years, the Programme has seen participation from a wide range of universities across the former Yugoslavia and the broader region, including the Union University in Belgrade, the University of Donja Gorica, the University of Niš, the Haxhi Zeka University of Peja, the University of Podgorica, the University of Pristina, the University of Rijeka, the University of Sarajevo (Faculty of Law and Faculty of Political Sciences), the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, the University of Split, the University of Tuzla, the University of Vitez, the University of Zagreb, and the University of Zenica.
The Programme forms part of the wider Mechanism Information Programme for Affected Communities (MIP). Together with the participating universities, the MIP has created since 2019 a regional network of law and related faculties – the first of its kind – where students from different countries can learn about, and discuss, the work of the ICTY and its legacy. The video lecture series not only enhances the students’ knowledge and understanding of international criminal law and international humanitarian law, but also serves as a platform for genuine dialogue between students from across the region of the former Yugoslavia.
Launched in January 2019, the MIP aims to increase awareness and knowledge among affected communities about the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, based on ICTY and Mechanism cases.
The MIP is funded by the European Union.