M. Cherif Bassiouni - Nobel Peace Prize Nominee - commencement speech DePaul School of Law 5/17/15 [View all]

[marym625]

I went to the graduation ceremony for DePaul School of Law yesterday as a dear friend graduated. Such an exciting day!

I was so glad to hear M. Cherif Bassiouni speak. What a speech! I was surprised at how much he addressed that have us all concerned; poverty, torture, Gitmo, war crimes, pay inequality.

The video SUCKS! The camera is not good and I couldn't seem to keep my hand still. But the speech is wonderful.

A little about the Professor

He is Emeritus Professor of Law at DePaul University where he taught from 1964-2012. He has served in numerous United Nations positions and served as the Consultant to the US Department of State and Justice on many projects. He was a founding member of the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University which was established in 1990. He served as President from 1990-1997 and then President Emeritus. Professor Bassiouni is often referred to by the media as “the Godfather of International Criminal Law” and a “war crimes expert.”[1] As such, he is now on the Steering Committee for The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative, which was launched to study the need for a comprehensive convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, and draft a proposed treaty. He spearheaded the drafting of the proposed convention, which as of 2014 is being debated at the International Law Commission.

In 2010, Bassiouni donated his personal papers to the DePaul University Special Collections and Archives, where his materials are open to researchers

Among the many distinctions and awards he has received are the Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize (1999); Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award of Columbia University (2012); Cook County Bar Association Lincoln Award (2012); Dominican University’s Bradford O’Neill Medallion for Social Justice (2011); George Washington University Distinguished Alumni Scholar Award, Washington DC (2010-2011); Washington University School of Law, World Peace Through Law Award (2010); DePaul University Via Sapientiae Award (2009); Hague Prize for International Law (2007); Cesare Beccaria Justice Medal of the International Society for Social Defense (2007); The Medal of the Commission de Derechos Humanos del Estado de Mexico (2006); DePaul University St. Vincent DePaul Society’s Humanitarian Award (2000); International Association of Penal Law- V.V. Pella, Champion of International Criminal Justice Award (1999); John Marshall Law School’s Lifetime Achievement Award (1999); Defender of Democracy Award from Parliamentarians for Global Action (1998); United Nations Association’s Adlai E. Stevenson Award (1993); The Special Award of the Council of Europe (1990); and The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe’s Award (1984).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Cherif_Bassiouni