57th Internatioanal Council Meeting: new IFP topic, new board, new national group

Update from the ICM in Malta

The 57th International Council Meeting (ICM), the highest decision-making body of ELSA, was held in Qawra, Malta 21st - 28th March 2010.  It was attended by around 350 participants from 32 countries, including members of the Association, alumni and members of ELSA Lawyers’ Society as well as partners of ELSA.

Ms. Barbara Orkwiszewska and Mrs. Anita van de Kar-Bachelet represented the Human Rights’ Partner of ELSA - the Council of Europe. Their speeches about the cooperation between the Council of Europe and ELSA and on the topic of freedom of expression during the Mid-plenary of the ICM launched the joint project – essay and photo competition dedicated to the 60^th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights  “Our Rights, our freedoms”. The competition raised great interest among law students and is now promoted throughout the Universities all around Europe.

Representatives of the International Board of the Asian Law Students’ Association  (ALSA), which is the Partner Law Students’ Association of ELSA since December 2009, were present during the sessions of the ICM and together with the International Board of ELSA discussed future development of cooperation between the associations.

Moreover, the ICM was attended by the former patron of ELSA, Mr. Russell Denoon Duncan, former senior partner of Cameron Markby Hewitt, who gave a speech addressed to members of ELSA at the final plenary. His speech emphasized the importance of efficiency and integrity in the work of lawyers and it was warmly welcomed by the ELSA delegates.

Among the important decisions taken by the Council in Malta was the selection of the topic of the International Focus Programme (IFP) of ELSA to be in force from August 1^st 2010 till July 31^st 2013. The discussions held during the week with regards to the three options of the new topic (Environmental Law, Health Law and Internet Law) were concluded by a conference with speakers specializing in each of these fields of law. After two rounds of votes by the Council during the final plenary the chair could finally announce Health Law as the new IFP topic for ELSA.

Another key point on the agenda for the final plenary was the election of the International Board for the term 2010/2011. The council elected the following:

President: Óscar Lema Bouza, Spain

Secretary General: Filipe Bismarck, Portugal

Vice President Academic Activities: Ezgi Kılınç, Turkey

Vice President Seminars & Conferences: Paolo Amorosa, Italy

Vice President Student Trainee Exchange Programme: Elif Yıldırım, Turkey

Vice President Marketing: Laurits Ketscher, Denmark

The newly elected board will begin their transition on 1st July and will be starting their term in office on the 1st August 2010.

Additionally the ELSA network warmly welcomed ELSA Ireland as a new observer group of ELSA, bringing the number of national groups to the spectacular amount of 41.

The International Board would like to thank the ELSA Network for their involvement throughout the ICM and in discussing the new IFP topic. We would also like to congratulate the newly elected International Board and the new observer group ELSA Ireland.

In total, 31 German participants travelled to this ICM to work together on the future development of ELSA. Thanks to all of you!

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