Activities of the Legal Counsel of the
United Nations
United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, visits Washington D.C.
11 to 14 February 2016
From 11 to 14 February 2016, the Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares visited Washington, D.C. The main objective of this mission was to represent the Secretary-General at the inauguration of the new Tenley Campus at American University Washington College of Law and to deliver a keynote address on this occasion. Further, Mr. Serpa Soares took the opportunity of his presence in Washington, D.C. to meet with his counterparts at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. National Security Council at the White House. He also spoke about the work of the Office of Legal Affairs and current issues of international law at Georgetown University Law Center and the American Society of International Law. In the margins of the visit, Mr. Serpa Soares paid an official visit to the United States Holocaust Museum where he met with the Director, Ms. Sara Bloomfield. On this mission, the Legal Counsel was accompanied by his Deputy, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Mr. Stephen Mathias.
The Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, and the Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Mr. Mathias, in Washington, D.C.
On 11 February, Mr. Serpa Soares visited Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) where he participated in a conversation-style event on the work of the Office of Legal Affairs and current legal issues that the United Nations is facing at the invitation of Professor David Stewart and the International Law Society at GULC. Showcasing the work of his Office, explaining the legal positions that the United Nations is taking and discussing current matters of international law with academics and law students is an activity which Mr. Serpa Soares undertakes whenever this is possible. In the margins of his visit to GULC, Mr. Serpa Soares had an opportunity to exchange with members of the faculty and in particular with Professor Jane Stromseth, the former Acting Special Coordinator of the Office of Global Criminal Justice at the U.S. Department of State.
Mr. Serpa Soares speaks at Georgetown University Law Center
In the evening of 11 February, Mr. Serpa Soares participated in an event entitled “A Conversation with the United Nations Legal Counsel” at the Headquarters of the American Society of International Law where he was hosted by Mr. Mark Agrast, the Executive Director and Executive Vice-President of the Society. The event provided an opportunity to discuss current issues of international law with a wide range of diplomats, practitioners as well as scholars of international law based in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Serpa Soares at Tillar House, the Headquarters of the American Society of International Law
In the morning of 12 February, Mr. Serpa Soares paid an official visit to the United States Holocaust Museum responding to an invitation by the Museum leadership. He received a private tour ahead of the opening of the Museum to the public. Following the guided tour, the Director of the Museum, Ms. Sara Bloomfield, received Mr. Serpa Soares for a meeting where they discussed aspects of cooperation between the Office of Legal Affairs and the Museum. In addition to educating the general public about the historic facts of the holocaust, the United States Holocaust Museum is a center of high quality research in the field of advanced holocaust studies.
Mr. Serpa Soares and Ms. Sara Bloomfield, Director of the United States Holocaust Museum
In the afternoon of 12 February, Mr. Serpa Soares attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Tenley Campus at American University Washington College of Law. In the margins of the ceremony, he had the opportunity to discuss with Professor Thomas Buergenthal, who throughout his professional life had many United Nations affiliations, including in particular serving from March 2000 to September 2010 as Judge at the International Court of Justice. At the ceremony, Mr. Serpa Soares was introduced to the keynote speaker Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Serpa Soares meets U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
On 13 February, Mr. Serpa Soares had the honour of representing the Secretary-General and delivering the keynote address of the evening at the Gala Dinner on the occasion of the opening of the new Tenley Campus at American University Washington College of Law which brought together over 300 dignitaries, officials, scholars, practitioners, alumni and other members of the legal profession with an affiliation to American University.
Mr. Serpa Soares delivering a keynote address at American University Washington College of Law, representing the Secretary-General of the United Nations
In the margins of his trip to Washington, D.C., Mr. Serpa Soares held a number of meetings with Officials of the U.S. administration, including at the U.S. Department of State’s Legal Office and the Office of the Special Coordinator of the Office of Global Criminal Justice, and at the National Security Council. All those meetings provided an opportunity to discuss current topical issues of mutual interest and to thank the interlocutors for the excellent cooperation and the support that the Office of Legal Affairs enjoys from the United States Government.
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