The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) was formed in 1946 by prosecutors of war crimes at Nuremberg who came together to form an organization specifically dedicated to championing the goals of the United Nations Charter to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes, respect the right to self-determination, and to address the conditions which lead to war. Throughout the years, IADL has contributed to the development of today's contemporary international law to promote people's’ rights.
The IADL brings together progressive international lawyers from around the world. With members and affiliated organizations in approximately 80 countries, IADL is one of the few global associations of lawyers, judges, academics and jurists focused on human rights and international law. In particular, IADL is committed to carrying out legal work to support and defend social movements and national liberation struggles. Throughout the world, IADL members work hand in hand with social movements to defend existing rights and expand their scope.
Traditionally every four to five years, IADL organizes a global Congress that brings together hundreds of lawyers from all continents of the world for a series of educational days, commissions or workshops, panels and programs to share experiences, best practices and lessons and provide a venue for meeting people from around the world to promote common action and concrete steps to achieve our goals.
The Congress is the ideal place to build networks. This is an exceptional meeting place for hundreds of lawyers (lawyers, academics, lawyers active in social movements, judges, students) from all over the world. For lawyers who support the oppressed around the world, the IADL Congress in Nepal is an important opportunity to network internationally and exchange experiences.
The Congress provides a space to establish transnational collaborations to support and defend the peoples’ democratic rights. When progressive lawyers need a colleague abroad, they have at their disposal a network of colleagues in the same areas of law that work from this same perspective.
As an alternative to international networks of lawyers active in defending the interests of the financial and economic powers and powerful states, IADL is an international network of lawyers who are committed to peace, the right to self-determination, union rights, the right of social movements to express themselves and to organize, the rights of women, the right to work, health and housing for all and the right to a healthy environment.
Eight workshops as well as plenary sessions will include lawyers from all continents sharing their experiences. Topics addressed will include the concerns of the Palestinian people's liberation struggle; on peace and war; on crisis in international law and international system; on fascism; on the human right to a clean and healthy environment; on the struggle for women’s rights, equality and against gender-based discrimination; and on labor and labor rights.
The Congress is open to IADL members, non-members and representatives of social movements.
Translation will be provided in multiple languages during the Congress, including full simultaneous interpretation in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. In order to support the participation of lawyers around the world, the IADL has kept the price for the Congress at a democratic level.
For conference registration, the entry price is US $ 200 for a shared room. For a single room, conference registration is US $275. Registration fee includes hotel accommodation for 3 nights, breakfasts, lunch , dinner (only July 18 and 20, translation, airport pick up and conference kits. Delegates arriving earlier or staying longer and who will avail of the Study Tour will have to pay extra fee. Please note: there is no scheduled activity on July 21. However, the events of July 20 will run past 10 pm, and your hotel stay on July 20 is included in your conference registration.