Federal Event, International Law and the World Court, 11/3

Federal Event: World Public Opinion on International Law and the World Court, Presented by The American Society of International Law and WorldPublicOpinion.org
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (reception to follow)
at the Headquarters of the American Society of International Law
Tillar House, 2223 Massacusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

*Pre-registration required. http://asil.org/activities_calendar.cfm?action=detail&rec=95

Presented by Steven Kull, Director WorldPublicOpinion.orgModerated by Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director, American Society of International Law

WorldPublicOpinion.org and the American Society of International Law invite you to an event releasing new findings from a 21-countries poll on public opinion on international law and the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court. The views from most of the world’s largest nations will be reported – China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Russia, as well as Britain, France, Germany, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Kenya and other nations.

The following discussants will explore implications of world public opinion for international law:
Former Congressman Mickey Edwards, Aspen Institute
Steve Rickard, Open Society Institute
Sarah Mendelson, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Questions explored include:

• Whether people think their government should comply with international law when doing so is at odds with their national interest;
• What people assume others in their country feel about complying with international law;
• And whether people have confidence that the World Court would treat their country fairly.

In addition we will explore international public opinion on broader questions about expanding the regulatory role of the UN, UN intervention to protect human rights, the “responsibility to protect,” forcible intervention in event of humanitarian disasters, and Muslim and African views on the International Criminal Court indictment of President Bashir.