“Rethinking International Law: Knowledge, Action, Reflection” conference held in Yerevan

2026-02-20 - 16:44

YEREVAN — On Feb. 14, an international conference titled “Rethinking International Law: Knowledge, Action, Reflection” took place in Yerevan. The event was organized in cooperation with the Armenian International Law Association, the International and Comparative Law Center, and the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights. The conference brought together leading experts in international law from Armenia and abroad, representing universities, research centers and international organizations, as well as Armenia’s academic and human rights institutions. Sessions were moderated by Igor Mirzakhanyan, co-founder of the Armenian International Law Association; Siranush Sahakyan, president of the International and Comparative Law Center and director of the Armenian office of the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights; and Anna Melikyan, an expert with the NGO Protection of Rights Without Borders, among others. The conference opened with a panel discussion titled “International Courts and Beyond: Various Pathways of International Law Enforcement.” Additional panels throughout the day examined the impact of climate change on the international legal system, as well as issues of responsibility and justice in the aftermath of forced displacement and mass atrocities. Discussions also explored both traditional and contemporary approaches to teaching and interpreting international law. Speakers included academics and practitioners from the University of Lodz, Cleveland State University, Tilburg University, Columbia University, the American University of Armenia, the University of Basel, the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, Panthéon-Assas University Paris II, the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Women’s Fund Armenia, Yerevan State University and the University of Edinburgh. Particular attention was given to key branches of international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. The conference served as a platform for professional dialogue, the exchange of ideas and the development of new approaches to advancing international law, particularly amid regional and global uncertainty. The event aimed to reconsider the role and relevance of international law in the face of global challenges by bringing together theoretical knowledge, practical experience and critical perspectives.