Philippe Sands, Professor of Law at University College London and practicing barrister at Matrix Chambers, was invited by the Graduate Institute and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights on 5 December 2018 for a public conference on “The Individual and the Group: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Genocide Convention at 70”, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  

The lecture closed a scientific symposium co-organised by the Department of International History of the Graduate Institute and the Geneva Academy, which brought together jurists and historians to debate and confront critical approaches and views on the UDHR.

Building his research upon the ideas of two prominent founders of contemporary international law (Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin), and his own family’s experience, Professor Sands explained the development of international law, starting with the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1946, discussing how it protects the individual and the group simultaneously and Mr Lemkin’s successful efforts to create a convention on the prevention and prohibition of genocide.

“The ideas and endeavours of Lauterpacht and Lemkin influenced politics, history, culture, my life and yours”, said Professor Sands. “The concepts of ‘crimes against humanity’ and ‘genocide’ have entered our world, although many are under the impression that they have existed since time immemorial. They have not: both are the product of creative and inventive minds, two men driven by their own experiences forged on the anvil of a single city.”  

Watch the video of the conference in its entirety.

Read Philippe Sands' conference speech.