An International Academic Conference on the “Armenian Genocide and International Law”

Press Release:

From September 2, 2009 an International Academic Conference on the Armenian Genocide and International Law will take place at Haigazian University, Beirut-Lebanon.

Organized by the Haigazian University and the Armenian National Committee-Middle East, the conference will discuss the Armenian Genocide from the perspective of international law and tackle issues such as professional ethics and genocide denial, the consequences of the Genocide and the rights of the Armenian nation within the context of international law, and means of further promoting  the field of Armenian Genocide Studies.


Press Release:

From September 2, 2009 an International Academic Conference on the Armenian Genocide and International Law will take place at Haigazian University, Beirut-Lebanon.

Organized by the Haigazian University and the Armenian National Committee-Middle East, the conference will discuss the Armenian Genocide from the perspective of international law and tackle issues such as professional ethics and genocide denial, the consequences of the Genocide and the rights of the Armenian nation within the context of international law, and means of further promoting  the field of Armenian Genocide Studies.

A number of scholars in genocide studies and experts in international law are invited for this two-day conference. They will be arriving from Armenia, Canada, Egypt, Ireland, Lebanon, England, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The participants include professors and scholars Taner Akçam, Bilgin Ayata, Seyhan Bayraktar, Georges Charaf, Haik Demoyan, Richard Hovannissian, Khatchig Mouradian, Mohammad Rifaat, William Schabas, Roger Smith, Henry Theriault, Ugur Ungor, Ragip Zarakolu, and Alfred De Zayas.

The papers which will be presented during the four sessions of the Conference will cover:“The Problem of Minorities and Majorities: The Case of the Ottoman Empire”, “Demographic Engineering in the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian Genocide”, “The Armenian Question According to Arab Sources”, “Genocide and International Law  (60 Years after the Convention, Problems and Prospects)”, “The Armenian Genocide: Issues of Justice and International Law”, “The Armenians, Raphael Lemkin and the UN Genocide Convention”, “Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian Genocide Issue in Turkey Today”, “Genocide Denialism and Law in Turkey”, “The Evolution of the Armenian Genocide Denial in Turkish Press”, “Kurdish–Armenian Relations and the Armenian Genocide”, “Professional Ethics and the Denial of Armenian Genocide”, “Restorative Justice and Alleviating the Consequences of Genocide”, “Universalizing the Legacy of the Armenian Genocide”. The proceedings of the conference will be later published in a book.

Concurrently, on Thursday, September 3 and Friday, September 4, as well as on Tuesday, September 8 there will be evening  public lectures. Details will be announced later.

Haigazian University & Armenian National Committee-Middle East, Beirut-Lebanon, August 24, 2009

The Armenian Genocide

And International Law

(September 3 – 4 , 2009 )

Beirut –Lebanon

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009

Formal Opening Session: 6:00 p.m.

Guest Speaker: Marios Garoyian, President of the House of Representatives – Cyprus

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2009

Registration: 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Session One: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

     Moderator: Dr. Arda Ekmekji

     Discussant: Dr. Naila Kaidbey

·         The Problem of Minorities and  Majorities: The Case of the Ottoman Empire (in Arabic)

     Dr. Georges Charaf

·         Demographic Engineering in the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian Genocide

      Dr.Ugur Ungor

·         The Armenian Question According to Arab Sources  ( in Arabic)

      Dr. Mohammad Rifaat

Coffee Break: 10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.

Discussion; 10:50 -11:30 a.m.

Session Two: 11:40 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.

     Moderator: Giro Manoyan

     Discussant: Dr. Rania Masri

·         Genocide and International Law  (60 Years after the Convention, Problems and Prospects)

       Dr. William Schabas

·         The Armenian Genocide: Issues of Justice and International Law

      Dr. Alfred De Zayas

·         The Armenians, Raphael Lemkin and the UN Genocide Convention

      Khatchig Mouradian

Discussion: 12:40 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.

Lunch: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

  Session Three: 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

     Moderator: Dr. Joseph Bayeh

     Discussant: Dr. Ohannes Geokjian

Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian Genocide Issue in Turkey Today

      Dr. Taner Akcam

       Genocide Denialism and Law in Turkey

      Ragip Zarakolu

     The Evolution of the Armenian Genocide Denial in Turkish Press

      Dr. Seyhan Bayraktar

     Kurdish –Armenian Relations and the Armenian Genocide

      Bilgin Ayata

Coffee Break: 4:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Discussion: 4:40 p.m.  – 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

Session Four: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

     Moderator: Antranig Dakessian

     Discussant: Dr. Haig Demoyan
    Professional Ethics and the Denial of Armenian Genocide 

      Dr. Roger Smith
   Restorative Justice and Alleviating the Consequences of Genocide

      Dr. Henry Theriault
   Universalizing the Legacy of the Armenian Genocide

      Dr. Richard Hovannissian

Coffee Break: 10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.

Discussion: 10:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

        CLOSING SESSION: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.