Hague law books enrich Sorbonne's library

The Hague Academy of International Law recently presented 350 volumes to Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) as a token of appreciation for hosting the Hague 37th External Programme, which was offered last year for the first time in the Gulf region. "The set of green and gold binding represents the best encyclopaedia available in public and private International Law, and showcases the courses delivered in the academy since 1923 by the world's best law professors," Yves Daudet, secretary-general of The Hague Academy of International Law told Gulf News. The Hague is the capital of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. All foreign embassies in the Netherlands and 150 international organisations are located in the city, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Valuable references Article continues below Access to these volumes will enable PSUAD students to make dynamic use of the valuable collection of courses, which will nurture and improve their comprehension of the complexities of international law. "This donation will further strengthen the international law curriculum and enrich the Sorbonne's library that is growing at a fast pace," said Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. "We hope that this substantial contribution will benefit the students and provide them with historically valuable references," said Gerald Michels, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the UAE. The books will help academics, lawyers, practitioners and students who will be able to examine the evolution of international laws and the various ways of putting them into practice — academically or professionally. "International laws must be adaptable to a constantly changing world. This collection contains the main traditional themes of international law and the output of research centres of the Hague academy. It also presents interpretations and adaptations of traditional laws into modern practices such as sustainable development and modern forms of slavery," said Prof Dr Jean Yves de Cara, PSUAD executive director. Ahmad Al Abri, a masters student from Oman, believes the books will give students a view into the developmental stages of law and its growth into setting the legal foundations of nations. "This is a great opportunity to see the thought process of some great international law professors and learn from their experience in the Permanent Court of Arbitration," said Osama Salah, a masters student from Egypt. "The concept of parading the Hague on a worldwide tour through the ‘External Programmme' was inspired by Boutros Boutros Ghali, former secretary-general of the United Nations," said De Cara. The programme is aimed at sharing the academy's life-learning experiences to help develop a peaceful coexistence through teaching of international laws. "The relation between the Hague academy and PSUAD is a link between one the world's oldest institutions of law and one of the youngest institutions teaching law in a young country [UAE]," said De Cara. 37TH EXTERNAL PROGRAMME Hosted at PSAUD, the Hague Academy and the Abu Dhabi Educational Council organised a series of lectures and discussion panels focused on modern challenges to environmental law and the impact on the development of national economies. Since 1960, the Hague Academy has been arranging annual events in different cities around the world. Abu Dhabi was selected to host the 37th session, mainly for its initiatives in the area of sustainable development and its impressive management of natural resources.