A group of young people from across the former Yugoslavia today began a week-long visit to the ICTY. The visit has been organised by the Tribunal’s Outreach Programme in cooperation with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) from Belgrade, Serbia.
Eight young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo will meet senior staff members from the Tribunal’s three organs and discuss the work and achievements of the Tribunal. Officials from the Chambers, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry will discuss topics including the history and practice of investigations, working with victims and witnesses, the development of cases from the indictment to the appeals stage, and the importance of media coverage of ICTY trials.
Speaking about the visit, Head of ICTY Communications Nerma Jelačić said: ‘"Youth play an increasingly important role in the process of dealing with the past across the former Yugoslavia. This is why our Outreach Programme has over the past few years continuously sought out new ways to engage this important group in our activities. We are very happy to give these young people an opportunity to get to know the Tribunal better so that they can continue to spread the message of accountability back home.”
The participants were selected in recognition of their achievements in promoting the importance of the rule of law and for ideas they proposed for sharing their experiences of their visit to the Tribunal with their peers if selected. Their proposals include organising seminars and debates where their personal experience of their visit to the Tribunal will serve as a stimulus for discussions on war crimes, dealing with the past and transitional justice.
“YIHR strongly believes that the issues of war crime trials and the legacy of the ICTY are of utmost importance for the former Yugoslavia. It is normal practice that many people in the region, including the youth, comment on ICTY judgements without reading them and express views without knowing vital details. We hope this visit will provide young people with the opportunity to learn more about the ICTY, talk directly to practitioners and exchange experience with colleagues from other countries, and then use this knowledge in their future work,” said Maja Mićić, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights.
The Tribunal’s Outreach Programme seeks to contribute to the process of dealing with the past in the former Yugoslavia by encouraging young people to take an active interest in the ICTY’s work and achievements as well as wider issues of justice, transitional justice mechanisms and post-conflict recovery. The Outreach Programme benefits from the continuous support of the European Union.
YIHR is a network of NGOs active across the former Yugoslavia committed to enhancing youth participation in the process of transitional justice.
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If you would like to support or get involved in the Tribunal’s Outreach Programme
please contact Nerma Jelačić, Head of Outreach, at jelacic [at] un.org or +31 70 512 5066
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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
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