Lawyers can plead for human rights

LAWYERS with a human rights matter they seek to plead have an ideal opportunity to place the matter on the world stage through the International Human Rights Competition for Lawyers, entries for which close on 1 October.

In the 19 years this competition has been held, it has attracted significant media attention and some of the cases past entrants have addressed have helped close that dossier completely. Examples include the freeing of Michael Pardue in 2001; the liberation in 2002 of Niger college student Rami, a victim of a forced marriage; the release of Amina Lawal in 2003; and the liberation of Paul Rivero in 2004.

The competition is open to all lawyers registered with a bar association. Entrants must produce a speech relating to an individual genuine breach of human rights reported in the recent news.

The final 10 candidates may give a speech of up to 20 minutes in the language of their choice (and will have their travel and accommodation paid). They are judged on relevance of the subject (individual case and actual case), construction of the subject, soundness of the argument, strength of the commitment, conviction, sincerity, objectivity, credibility, oratory talent and respect for the length of the speech. Candidates will be required to make their speech while robed or wearing the appropriate clothing as laid down by their particular bar association.

A selection committee, comprising lawyers, professors, elected officials and representatives of Le Mémorial de Caen, will read all the syntheses of speeches that must be submitted with applications and select the 30 semi-finalists on 20 October.

The semi-finalists will then prepare a "defence speech", which must be submitted by 20 November and from these, the 10 finalists will be selected.

The finals will be held on Sunday 1 February 2009, when the finalists will be invited to speak in the main hall of Le Mémorial de Caen, in France. The deliberations of both the official jury and the public jury will take place towards the end of the afternoon.

The day will end with the prize-giving ceremony.

The International Association of Young Lawyers will also award the first prize winner a free entry to one of next year’s AIJA seminars.

Le Mémorial de Caen’s mission is to make people think about the fragility and importance of peace. More information about the competition is available at www.memorial-caen.fr/concours/ or by emailing vdurel@memorial-caen.fr.