American University Washington College of Law Hosts International Symposium on Crimes Against Humanity, Atrocity, and Genocide Prevention
Washington, D.C., October 2025 — The Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (CHRHL), in partnership with the American University International Law Review (AUILR) and the War Crimes Research Office (WCRO), hosted an international symposium titled “Crimes Against Humanity, Atrocity, and Genocide Prevention: From Norms to Obligations.” The full-day event brought together leading scholars, practitioners, and students for high-level academic exchanges on strengthening global and domestic atrocity-prevention frameworks. With a full auditorium and robust virtual participation, the symposium reaffirmed AUWCL’s position as a central forum for rigorous, interdisciplinary engagement on international justice.
Opening remarks by Professor Eduardo Bertoni, Director of the CHRHL, and Keisuke Fujio, Symposium Editor of AUILR, emphasized the law school’s longstanding leadership in developing and advancing international human rights and accountability norms. They noted that atrocity prevention requires collaboration across sectors such as lawyers, journalists, technologists, policymakers, and civil society and that AUWCL is uniquely positioned to foster such dialogue. Their introduction underscored the timeliness of the symposium as the United Nations moves toward formal negotiations of a Crimes Against Humanity Treaty that may significantly influence global accountability efforts.
The keynote address was delivered by Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, the James Carr Professor of International Criminal Law at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Director of the Crimes Against Humanity Initiative, and former Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. She offered an analytical overview of the treaty’s evolution and reflected on its potential to strengthen both prevention and enforcement. Without addressing drafting details, she highlighted the urgency of establishing a robust legal framework that expands protections, reinforces obligations, and responds effectively to emerging patterns of mass violence.
The morning sessions explored new perspectives on accountability and evolving dimensions of atrocity prevention. The first panel, moderated by Natalie Landau, brought together Professor Rebecca Hamilton, Alka Pradhan, and Mariana Da Silva, who examined emerging harms—from environmental destruction and digital incitement to the complex dynamics of transitional justice. The discussion emphasized the need for adaptable legal frameworks capable of addressing new atrocity risks while centering the experiences and agency of victims and survivors.
A second morning panel focused on investigative methodologies and the role of technology in documenting mass atrocities. Moderated again by Landau, the discussion featured Professor Sadat, Pradhan, and Nathaniel Raymond (via prerecorded remarks). Speakers highlighted the growing importance of open-source investigations, satellite imagery, and remote data analysis in conflict settings where access to affected populations is limited. They underscored the value of integrating technological innovation with traditional evidence-gathering and stressed the need for political independence, sustained resources, and long-term institutional support for investigative bodies.
The afternoon opened with a remote address by Mô Bleeker, United Nations Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, who offered a wide-ranging reflection on memory, dialogue, and the cultural foundations of prevention. She examined the widening gap between global norms and political realities, the rise of disinformation and narrative manipulation, and the urgent need to democratize prevention knowledge. Her remarks reinforced the importance of grounding prevention strategies in ethical reflection, inclusive participation, and critical engagement with historical memory and civic trust.
The day continued with an integrated afternoon panel moderated by Professor Eduardo Bertoni, which examined the interplay between international norms and domestic implementation as a foundational element of atrocity prevention. Professors Diane Orentlicher, Susana SáCouto, and Leila Sadat offered high-level reflections on how states incorporate international obligations into national systems, and how domestic courts, oversight institutions, and transitional justice mechanisms reinforce prevention when they operate independently and respond promptly to early-warning indicators. The panel emphasized that preventive efforts gain effectiveness when national authorities recognize serious human rights violations as international crimes, ensure meaningful victim participation, and safeguard judicial independence.
Building on these insights, the panel explored how emerging international instruments—such as the proposed Crimes Against Humanity Treaty—and the catalytic role of the International Criminal Court interact with domestic initiatives, including criminal prosecutions, institutional accountability, and transitional justice models like Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace. The speakers underscored that political will, victim-centered approaches, and resilient national institutions remain central to strengthening early-warning capacity and advancing long-term atrocity prevention. They concluded that sustainable prevention requires reinforcing domestic legal orders from the bottom up while anchoring those efforts in coherent and credible international frameworks.
Closing remarks by Professor emeritus Juan E. Méndez, former United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, synthesized the themes raised throughout the day. He highlighted the dual role of justice as both a moral imperative and a mechanism with tangible preventive effects. Professor Méndez noted that accountability contributes to breaking cycles of impunity and reinforcing democratic institutions, but must be complemented by conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance, and timely early-warning interventions. He encouraged students and practitioners to view their participation as part of a broader, long-term commitment to advancing atrocity prevention.
This symposium forms part of a broader series of events on genocide and mass atrocity prevention jointly organized by the CHRHL and the WCRO. Earlier in the year, on April 7, 2025, the WCRO and CHRHL co-hosted the panel “Mass Atrocities in Sudan: How to Give Effect to the U.S. Determination of Genocide and End the Conflict?” The event analyzed the implications of the United States’ genocide determination in Sudan and explored strategies to strengthen accountability and end ongoing atrocities. Co-moderated by WCRO Director Professor Susana SáCouto and Professor David Donat-Cattin of NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, the discussion brought together leading voices in international law, with additional support from the NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and the American Society of International Law. Together, these events reflect a sustained institutional commitment to deepening research, dialogue, and public engagement on atrocity prevention.
This symposium also forms part of a renewed institutional commitment by the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and its partners to expand scholarship, dialogue, and public engagement on prevention. This commitment carries particular significance in 2025, a year marked by major anniversaries in the global justice landscape. The 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials invites reflection on the foundational principles of modern international criminal law; the 40th anniversary of Argentina’s 1985 Juntas Trial illustrates the capacity of domestic courts to confront past state violence and reinforce democratic governance; and the 77th anniversary of the Genocide Convention reaffirms prevention as a binding legal obligation under international law. Taken together, these commemorations underscore the continued necessity for institutions such as AUWCL to foster rigorous debate and develop innovative strategies to address contemporary atrocity risks.
Throughout the day, the symposium showcased AUWCL’s distinctive ability to convene scholars, practitioners, and students in a shared space of substantive engagement. The strong level of student participation highlighted the vital role academic institutions play in shaping the next generation of human rights advocates. The CHRHL, AUILR, and WCRO will continue to support research, programming, and interdisciplinary collaboration that strengthen prevention-oriented strategies at both the domestic and international levels.
Federico Gaitán
Dean’s Fellow, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
S.J.D. Candidate, American University Washington College of Law