Towards One World: Launch of Volume III of the Memoirs of H.E. Judge C.G. Weeramantry
On 25 November 2014, Judge C.G. Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, launched the third volume of his memoirs at The Dickson Poon School of Law.
The Portico Rooms, Somerset House, provided the setting for the London launch of ‘Towards One World: The Memoirs of Judge C.G. Weeramantry. Volume III: The International Court and Thereafter’.
Published by Stamford Lake, this third volume of Judge Weeramantry’s memoirs covers his nine year term as a Judge of the International Court of Justice (1991-2000), serving as Vice-President of the Court from 1997 until his retirement in 2000. The book also addresses Judge Weeramantry’s very busy schedule ‘in the search of peace and justice’ both prior to and since his retirement, detailing among other achievements his presidency of the International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Weapons and the creation of the Weeramantry Centre for Peace Education and Research in Sri Lanka.
Those lucky enough to attend the booked out event, chaired by the Dean, Professor David Caron, listened eagerly to Judge Weeramantry’s observations concerning the urgent need for nuclear disarmament and the importance of preserving our environment for future generations.
In addition to Dean Caron and Judge Weeramantry, a panel of experts, comprising Dr Philippa Webb (The Dickson Poon School of Law), Dr Marco Roscini (University of Westminster Law School and the Department of War Studies at King's) and Professor Malgosia Fitzmaurice (Queen Mary Department of Law), all of whom have been influenced by Judge Weeramantry’s scholarship, presented on topics featured prominently in his third volume of memoirs. Dr Webb spoke about the proliferation of judicial tribunals and progress towards the 'universalism' of international law, before reflecting on judicial elections to the International Court of Justice. Dr Roscini spoke about Judge Weeramantry’s ground-breaking Dissenting Opinion in the International Court of Justice’s 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. Professor Fitzmaurice addressed the concept of inter-generational equity, which has long been championed by Judge Weeramantry. She traced the influence of Judge Weeramantry's thinking on decisions by international, regional and domestic courts.
These very interesting presentations were followed by a reception, during which Judge Weeramantry signed many copies of his book.