Looking Back at Our Annual Student Study Trips to Morocco and Georgia

22 August 2024

Each year, students from our two Geneva based Masters Programmes embark on a study trip as part of their time at the Geneva Academy. In the 2023-24 academic year those enrolled in the LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (LLM) travelled to Georgia, and the group from the Master in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ) went to Morocco. These trips were organised by the students with support from our Head of Education and the student office, and provided a great opportunity to meet experts and see institutions in the field.

Transitional Justice Students Visit Morocco

On 24 May the students visited the Association Marocaine des Droits Humains where they gained an understanding of the role of civil society in pushing for the transitional justice process, and the experience of conducting public hearings parallel to the ones conducted by the Equity and Reconciliation Commission.

The final day of the trip took place in Casablanca where students attended the ‘National Symposium on the path to addressing grave human rights violations’, organized by the Moroccan Center for Transitional Justice and the Study of International Reports, the Casablanca Bar Association and the Medical Association for the Rehabilitation of Violence and Abuse. During this event, students heard about multidisciplinary approaches to the transitional justice process in Morocco from academics, lawyers and medical practitioners, including their involvement accompanying the transitional justice process, supporting victims with medical care and legal representation to access reparations.

Nataly Santana Sanchez, one of the MTJ students, explained, ‘This trip was the best way to take our lessons and see them displayed on the field. All our theoretical discussions came alive, were challenged and gained perspective when we saw what a real transitional justice experience looks like. The key features of transitional justice –including the pre-requisite of a political transition, the tensions between truth and justice, the significance of individual and collective approaches to reparations– were at the center of Morocco’s experience, either by being challenged or by being affirmed.’

Maria Camila Visbal Amaya commented, ‘For me it was one of the best experiences of my time at the Geneva Academy. It was an opportunity to see in practice all the things we learned inside a classroom and to discuss different perspectives towards transitional justice in the field. I would encourage the new cohorts of students to not miss this opportunity because it broadens the learning process and gives an experience where you can learn about a different country, culture, its history and its transitional justice process, all at the same time.’

LLM Students Travel to Georgia

The third day of the study trip comprised of visits to the ICRC Delegation to Georgia, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the ICC. At the ICRC Delegation students were able to discuss the effects of the 1991-92 and 2008 conflicts and the important work of the ICRC in restoring family links and locating the remains of missing persons. At the OHCHR they had an interactive discussion on human rights in Georgia, and at the ICC they discussed the arrest warrants for the situation in Georgia, and posed questions to experts regarding enforcement of international criminal law.

On the following days the group also visited the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Human Rights Watch, Rights Georgia, Tbilisi State University, and Georgian American University.

Elien Desmet, one of the LLM students, explained, ‘The student organised study trip was one of the highlights of the LLM for me and the visits to all the organisations and state institutions helped me to see the daily reality of how International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law work in practice. Next to all the visits we also had the time to really connect with other students and get to know each other.’

The students were accompanied on the trip by Revaz Tkemaladze, one of the Geneva Academy Teaching Assistants, who reflected ‘The study trip, entirely planned and organized by the students themselves, was a remarkable complement to their journey at the Geneva Academy. I was honored when they invited me to accompany them on this trip in my country of origin, and it was an absolute pleasure to share this experience with them. During the visit, the students met and interacted with various experts specializing in international law in Georgia. This provided an excellent opportunity to observe how international law is applied in practice, particularly in a country that has experienced armed conflict in recent history. In the interactive lectures and discussion sessions, the students asked insightful questions about the implementation of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law at the domestic level, as well as the challenges encountered in this process. Faced with a foreign country and culture, they displayed remarkable solidarity and kindness, embracing the local culture with understanding and respect. Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of the trip was witnessing the strong bonds the students had formed during their year at the Academy. The study trip was a wonderful occasion to celebrate these friendships and their achievements over the course of the year.’

Dr Clotilde Pégorier, Head of Education at the Geneva Academy, added, ‘The annual study trips provide a great opportunity for our students to see how the theory that they learn in the classroom is globally put into practice. By being exposed to those using the law in their work really brings into focus the future paths that some of them may pursue after their studies. I would also like to highlight how wonderful it is to see these groups undertaking the arrangement of the trips in such a serious and considered manner. The depth and quality of the visits they have been able to organize in such a short timeframe is extremely impressive, and I congratulate them all!’