The second workshop on the Nuremberg Principles began with opening remarks from Susanna Frederick Fischer, Associate Professor of Law and Director of both the Comparative and International Law Institute and the International Human Rights Summer Law School Program in Rome. Fischer thanked organizers, contributors, and participants for their involvement, specifically acknowledging Professor Roman Petyur from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv for his collaboration.
A panel of experts participated in the event: Professor Piotr Szwedo from Jagiellonian University in Kraków; Professor Orde Félix Kittrie from Arizona State University; and Professor Herbert R. Reginbogin from The Catholic University of America and Istanbul Kent University. The discussion focused on how the Nuremberg Principles remain relevant in addressing current challenges to international law and justice.
Panelists discussed how these principles intersect with international economic and criminal justice institutions, noting their origins after World War II. They highlighted the influence of organizations such as the United Nations and Bretton Woods systems in promoting peace through economic cooperation and legal frameworks. The panel also examined contemporary issues like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, limitations faced by bodies such as the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, and difficulties enforcing accountability against powerful nations. Panelists stressed that global cooperation is needed to address weakening international legal standards, increasing protectionism, and misuse of globalization.
The session ended with a call to action for attendees to consider justice, accountability, and ethical governance as essential components in modern legal and economic systems. Panelists emphasized integrating these principles to tackle global challenges including environmental issues and enforcement of international law. Participants were encouraged to continue discussions aimed at improving global governance based on Nuremberg Principles.
These workshops are leading up to an international conference titled “International Criminal Law 80 Years Later: The Crossroads of Law, Ethics, Religion and International Law,” scheduled at The Catholic University of America on April 12-13, 2027. Over three workshops, students and faculty will have opportunities to discuss interdisciplinary topics related to ongoing challenges in international law—including conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as well as U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. The next workshop is set for March 25, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., available both online via Zoom and onsite at Columbus School of Law’s Slowinski Courtroom.
