Synergy #33 Spring edition 2003 - European Law Students ...

International and
National Mechanisms of
Human Rights
Protection
: The First
International
Scientific
Law
Conference
Recalling.
(Russia, Ufa,
13-14
December
2002)
28
Sergey Vasiliev
ELSA Bashkortostan
Natalia Biktyusheva
ELSA Bashkortostan
Magazine of The European Law Students’ Association
Have you ever heard of the city Ufa? It’s the
place in Russia where the 1 st International Law
Students Conference “International and
National Mechanisms of Human Rights
Protection” dedicated to the 54th Anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and devoted to various aspects of Human
Rights’ protection mechanisms took place on
the 13-14 of December 2002.
The idea of the students’ conferences in
Russia requires that the students, not
professors (with the exception of the work the
Plenary Session) make their reports and
participate actively. After the report is made,
the risky “questions-answers” stage follows
when students can either impress everybody
by their deep knowledge or show that they should
have worked harder on the topic. According to
this academic standard, professors do not
interfere much into work of the conference but
they are welcome to express their authoritative
opinion and to direct the flow of debates into
the right flow. So the events scheme is based
on a very active participation of students – they
should write an essay on the topic, present it in
public and answer any questions that people
might have from their presentation. It is a
positive thing. But the down side is that the
social program in Russia is usually not given much
attention, as nobody sees the point in paying
much attention to it at such “serious meetings”.
So for our Conference we decided not
to choose between a rich academic program
and a crazy social life. We confidently chose
both.
To apply to participate the students had
to write an abstract (not exceeding 4 pages)
concerning different HR protection domains.
The authors of articles that won the
competition were invited to participate (about
110 persons).
To our pleasure, the conference
confirmed its International status, with people
from Ukraine, Byelorussia, and Czech Republic
participating despite the freeze (we had –25
degrees during the Conference) and the rather
long way to Bashkortostan.
At the Plenary the University Rector,
Law Department Director, some other professors,
the Prosecutor of the Republic, the
Ombudsman of Bashkortostan and some
other state authorities made their reports.
This session was shown on the local TV news.
For the rest of the time of the Conference
the participants were divided into 7
workshops according to the topics of their
abstracts for them to make their speeches
and discuss them altogether. The creative
atmosphere at the workshops was reached
thanks to the optimal balance between
supervision by the professors, who were not
too imposing, and the competent and fresh
opinions expressed freely by the students. At
the end of the debates parti-cipants secretly
voted in order to elect the 3 students who
made the best reports.
And, the most pleasant – social and
cultural program: excursions around the city,
fun at the skiing resorts nearby Ufa, the Ball
for the participants. And, of course, crazy
ELSA night parties (at discos and then in the
hostel rooms) for those who was still able to
stand on feet at the end of the day…
At the Official Closing Ceremony of
the Conference the Director of the
Institute distributed the Prizes and
Diplomas for the best reports performed
at the workshops. Apart from this, every
participant receive a Certificate.
The University authorities expressed
their will to make the Conference in Ufa
annual and to involve more students from
the other countries of Europe next year.
There were several surprises from the OC
at the Final Ceremony: each guest from another
region or country received the regional exotic drink
called “koumiss” (the fermented mare’s milk).
While a Special Prize was also set for the
Heroes of the Conference – the members of
the delegation whose way to Ufa was the
longest. The students from Lviv (Ukraine) spent
3 days in a train to come to the Conference!
So, that’s the history of an S&C event
organized by a local group in some European
country. 4 months of hard work were worth
all the joy, happiness, relationships and great
experience we have got! We will repeat it
again. Are you coming?