Javier Cremades opens the 28th World Congress of Law in New York
The Spanish lawyer Javier Cremades, in his capacity as President of the World Association of Jurists, opened the 28th edition of the World Congress of Law, which is being held from 20 to 21 July at the headquarters of the New York City Bar Association.
In his speech, Cremades warned that "the rule of law is threatened in a number of countries by autocratic ideologies that want to limit what it represents for the defence of human dignity, peace and freedom. And we lawyers are part of a marvellous army ready to defend them.
Javier Cremades recalled that compliance with the rule of law has been the objective of the World Association of Jurists since its foundation, more than 60 years ago, in the midst of the Cold War, and thanked the city of New York - "a city that belongs to everyone" - and the United States, "a country committed to the defence of the rule of law, with its judges and courts at all levels, dedicated to the task of bringing justice to victims".
The Spanish lawyer concluded his speech by stressing that "a true administration of justice is the strongest pillar of government".
After the screening of a video of former US President Bill Clinton, in which he welcomed the participants, the Vice-President of the World Law Foundation, former European Commissioner Viviane Reading, gave the floor to the President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso.
During his speech, the President said that "it is an honour, in my first official act in the United States as President of Ecuador, to address you at the inauguration of this Congress".
Lasso highlighted some of the issues that will be addressed in the fifty or so panels that will be held over the two days and affirmed that "democracy and the rule of law are fundamental in the exercise of governing and determine the future of societies. But they have a strong contradictor, populism, which is growing in a worrying way in some Latin American countries and also in developed countries.
The opening ceremony was closed by Susan Kohlmann, in her capacity as host and President of the New York City Bar Association, who said that "it has never been more important to stand together and act together to achieve a world governed by law, not by force. Preserving the rule of law is in the DNA of our association".
Kohlmann closed her speech by recalling the speeches, on the same podium from which she was addressing the audience, of two great fighters for civil rights: Chief Justice Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and Martin Luther King.
Medals of Honour
The event closed with the presentation of the medals of honour of the World Association of Jurists to Ricardo Pérez Manrique, President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; Kari Kuusiniemi, President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland; and Diego García-Sayán, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers.
The laudatio address prior to the awards ceremony was delivered by Justice Anthony Kennedy of the US Supreme Court. Kennedy warned that "the rule of law can be lost in many ways. Hitler and Stalin attacked their own governments and other dictators have also attacked the rule of law. But the rule of law can also be lost through indifference. We cannot be indifferent; our duty is to show that the rule of law works and that it is necessary for our freedom".
The Congress will take place over two days, during which more than 50 panels will be held, with the participation of jurists from 60 countries, who will address the relationship between law and the environment, the energy transition, international justice, human rights and freedom of expression in the digital environment.
