International Justice Under Attack - Public Symposium and Keynote Event - November 4 (Québec City)
International justice stands at a crossroads.
The United States has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution. At the same time, the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize honours Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge, and the European Parliament has awarded the 2026 Sakharov Prize to the Court and its officials. The contrast is striking: international justice is receiving major recognition just as judicial independence faces direct threats.
Against this backdrop, Judge Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court and herself targeted by US sanctions, will visit Québec City on November 4 to deliver a special public keynote address at Université Laval.
Her visit will be the centrepiece of an exceptional day of reflection, dialogue, and collective mobilization bringing together leading figures from international criminal justice, the legal profession, academia, and civil society. The program will include invitation-only discussion workshops, a public symposium featuring two interactive panel discussions, a keynote address by the President of the International Criminal Court, and a networking reception in the presence of invited guests.
PUBLIC PROGRAMME
3:30-5:30 p.m. | Public Symposium - Defending Justice, Fighting Impunity
Two interactive roundtables will bring together Canadian and international experts to examine attacks on judicial independence and ways to strengthen accountability for international crimes. Free admission, registration mandatory; presented partly in English with simultaneous interpretation; eligible for Barreau du Québec continuing professional development hours; coffee and pastries provided.
6:00-7:30 p.m. | Keynote Event - Justice and Power: Why and How Should We Defend the International Criminal Court?
A rare opportunity to hear President Akane address the challenges facing the ICC, judicial independence, and the future of international justice. Her address will be followed by a conversation with the President, James Kirkpatrick Stewart (former Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC), Frédéric Mégret (Professor at McGill University), Alex Neve (human rights lawyer), and Béatrice Vaugrante (Oxfam-Québec), moderated by Fannie Lafontaine (Professor at Université Laval), then a networking reception in the presence of invited guests (drinks and hors d’oeuvres included with registration). Presented in English with simultaneous interpretation; eligible for continuing professional development credits with the Barreau du Québec.
Registration required.
For event details and registration information, visit: https://www.cdiph.ulaval.ca/ICC-UL