On July 17, 2023, the President, Jean-Francois Thony, and the Director General, Filippo Musca, of The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights attended the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court – ICC – at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This significant event brought together high-level guests from across the world, providing a valuable opportunity to reflect on how to ensure consistent and sustainable support for the ICC in the next decade and strengthen the international criminal law ecosystem.
The United Nations commemorative day was divided into two three-hour sessions. In the morning, there was an opening ceremony, followed by a high-level Ministerial Roundtable that discussed the Court’s strategic vision for the next decade. This session included Ministerial Level Representatives and a representative from the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC). The morning concluded with a treaty ceremony for ratification/accession instruments, amendments to the Rome Statute, and the signing of voluntary cooperation agreements or the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities with the Court.
During the afternoon session, the focus remained on the strategic vision discussion. This was achieved through three panels: strengthening the international criminal law ecosystem, ensuring remedies for victims of Rome Statute crimes, and reviewing and strengthening the Rome Statute system. The latter panel assessed the progress made and identified the way forward after the conclusion of the 2023 Review Mechanism.
The Siracusa International Institute was delighted and honored to have taken part in this special event. We have always deeply valued our longstanding and productive collaboration with the Assembly of the State
Parties and the International Criminal Court. Looking ahead, we are excited to host the next event in the commemoration series at our headquarters in Siracusa, Italy, on 12-13 October, where we aim to continue and enhance the discussions initiated in New York.
