Humanity in War: How Can IHL Keep its Promises?

The Future After 75 Years of Geneva Conventions

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to the EU, NATO and the Kingdom of Belgium in Brussels together with the College of Europe organize the Bruges Colloquium on International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is an annual gathering for IHL experts and practitioners since its inception in 2000.

After a brief pause in 2023, we are excited to return this year to mark the 25th anniversary of the Bruges Colloquium on IHL. Traditionally, this event gathers up to 100 participants, including representatives from governments, international organizations, and armed forces, along with leading academics and representatives from civil society organizations.

The 24th edition of the Bruges Colloquium will be held in English in person only on the premises of the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium on 21-22 November 2024.

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PROGRAMME

This year’s theme

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, this year’s edition of the Colloquium will center around the concept of humanity in war and the obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL.

The Colloquium will feature a reflective session on the opportunities, challenges, and best practices in promoting, implementing, complying with, and enforcing IHL. The Colloquium will then explore some of the contemporary challenges in ensuring respect for IHL, including partnering with and supporting parties to armed conflict. A session will be dedicated to the use of new technologies in armed conflict. The second day will focus on the conduct of hostilities, with particular attention to the challenges in assessing proportionality and legal risks associated with high-intensity armed conflict.