UMSAILS-UAP Spring School 2020 held to promote just, peaceful societies

The UMSAILS-UAP Spring School 2020 on SDG 16 – promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies - has been held at the BRAC University Residential Campus in Savar.

UNESCO Madanjeet Singh South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (UMSAILS) organised the five-day residential programme in partnership with the Department of Law and Human Rights of University of Asia Pacific from Mar 10 to 14.

As many as 58 law students from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan participated in the programme, the organisers said in a statement on Tuesday.

UAP Associate Professor Chowdhury Ishrak Ahmed Siddiky delivered the welcome speech while Sharif Bhuiyan, Director of SAILS, chaired the opening session.

Distinguished people from Bangladesh and abroad delivered lectures on various aspects of the theme of the School - Sustainable Development Goal No. 16: peace, justice and strong institutions.

Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, a judge at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, delivered a lecture on violence and torture against children.

Prof Rafiqul Islam from Macquarie University, Australia, discussed the challenges towards peace, security and justice while CM Shafi Sami, former foreign secretary and former adviser to the caretaker government discussed global diplomacy in the modern world.

Mizanur Rahman, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, delivered his lecture on transparency and good governance. Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik discussed about challenges and prospects in access to justice for all.

Associate Professor Homagni Choudhury, head of the economics department at Kingston University, UK, barristers Imran A Siddiq, Fatema Anwar and KM Shahnewaz, BRAC Human Rights and Legal Aid Services Programme Head Shahriara Sadat, and Legal Empowerment and Sustainable Development Programme Head Faustina Pereira, among others, enlightened the participants on different aspects of SDG 16.

The students participated in different sports competitions and cultural performances along with a quiz competition.

The closing ceremony of the Spring School was chaired by National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury, vice-chancellor of UAP.

Dr Kamal Hossain, Chairperson, SAILS, Justice Hemant Laxman Gokhale, former judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Air Commodore Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury, Treasurer, UAP, delivered their speeches as chief guest and special guests respectively.

The programme ended with the vote of thanks by Md Asaduzzaman, head of the Department of Law and Human Rights, UAP.