Press Release - The Inter-American Dialogue to sponsor panel discussion on 'Rule of Law & Democracy
Issued: 24 March 2016 (For Immediate Release)
The Inter-American Dialogue to sponsor panel discussion on 'Rule of Law and Democracy in Latin America'; Bolivia's former President Carlos D. Mesa announced as speaker
The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law today announced that Washington D.C. based organisation the Inter-American Dialogue will sponsor a panel discussion on 'Democracy and the Rule of Law in Latin America' at the forthcoming conference on "Rule of Law Challenges in Latin America: Corruption and Judicial Independence"
The Panel Discussion will address issues such as organised crime, impunity, corruption, natural resource use, human rights, the role of the state and discuss their significance for democracy and rule of law in the region.
Confirmed speakers include former President of Bolivia, Carlos D. Mesa, as well as Catalina Botero Marino (Colombia), Professor of Constitutional Law and former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organisation of American States (OAS); Dr Kevin Casas Zamora (Costa Rica), Senior Fellow & Program Director, Peter D Bell Rule of Law Program, Inter-American Dialogue; and Oscar Vilhena Vieira (Brazil), Dean at the FGV Law School in São Paulo.
The conference, to be held in São Paulo on 18 and 19 April, is organised by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, together with the global law firm Jones Day, the Jones Day Foundation, and the FGV Law School in São Paulo.
The conference will consider a number of urgent and current issues relating to the rule of law in Latin America, including corruption, the conduct of trials and ways to ensure judicial independence.
Professor Christina Murray, Director of the Bingham Centre, stated: "We are delighted that the Inter-American Dialogue will sponsor this panel discussion on the Rule of Law and Democracy in Latin America. The breadth of experience and diversity of the panellists will ensure a very thorough discussion about key issues affecting most Latin American countries today."
Michael Shifter, President of the Inter-American Dialogue, added: "This conference comes at a critical moment when many countries in the hemisphere are attempting to address corruption, judicial independence, and the rule of law like never before. The Dialogue is thrilled to be part of such an important conversation, one that will surely have a positive impact across Latin America."
More information - including the conference programme can be found online at www.binghamcentre.biicl.org/ruleoflawexchange/brazil2016
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For further information, please contact:
Claudia Mansaray, Marketing Manager,
Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
E: c.mansaray@biicl.org T: +44 (0)20 7862 5435
Mat Tromme, Project Lead and Senior Research Fellow,
Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
E: m.tromme@binghamcentre.biicl.org T: +44 (0)2078625151
Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Senior Fellow and Director, Peter D Bell Rule of Law Program
E: KCasaszamora@thedialogue.org T: +1-202-822-9002
Notes to editors:
- The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law was launched in December 2010 to honour the work and career of Lord Bingham of Cornhill - a great judge and passionate advocate of the rule of law. The Centre is dedicated to the study, promotion and enhancement of the rule of law worldwide. It does this by defining the rule of law as a universal and practical concept, highlighting threats to the rule of law, conducting high quality research and training, and providing rule of law capacity-building to enhance economic development, political stability and human dignity: www.binghamcentre.biicl.org - The Bingham Centre is a constituent part of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL), a registered charity and leading independent research organisation founded over 50 years ago: www.biicl.org
- The Inter-American Dialogue is the preeminent center for policy analysis, exchange, and communications on Western Hemisphere affairs. Its mission is to bring together public and private leaders from around the world to address the most critical issues facing the Americas, find consensus solutions, and advance democratic governance, social equity, and prosperity. The Dialogue's members include more than 100 distinguished global citizens representing the business, academic, governmental, and civil society sectors. Eighteen of them have served as presidents of their countries or as heads of multilateral institutions and over three dozen have served at the cabinet level. For more information visit www.thedialogue.org
