Katarina Guelpen, symposium editor, with Justice Leona Theron of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
The Rutgers International Law and Human Rights Journal held its first symposium on November 16, 2023. The symposium celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and featured distinguished keynote speakers including Justice Leona Theron, a justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, and Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan, who spent three decades working with the United Nations, most notably as acting High Commissioner for Human Rights. Additionally, the symposium included two panels that discussed the incorporation of the UDHR into domestic constitutions and feminist views on the UDHR.
The Journal was founded in late 2018 and accredited in 2019. It is the first and only journal at Rutgers Law School that publishes peer-reviewed scholarship, and one of the few student-run law journals in the entire United States to do so. Though the Journal is a mere five years old, it has made astounding progress and continues to address important ongoing issues within the academic community.
The symposium’s second panel, which focused on feminist views on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This was the first of many future symposia, which could not have happened without the hard work and ongoing support of countless individuals. In particular, the Journal would like to thank:
- Katarina Guelpen, Symposium Editor, for her hard work and dedication over the past few months
- Our current staff members, who have been working tirelessly this semester to ensure the ongoing success of our Journal
- Professors William Schroeder and Jorge Contesse for their ongoing support and for providing opening and closing remarks
- Professors Penny Venetis and Beth Stephens for providing vital feedback and moderating our panels
- Dean Wei Fang for helping to ensure the technology ran smoothy
- The incredible keynote speakers, Justice Leona Theron and Dr. Bertrand Ramcharan, and panelists, Professor Martin S. Flaherty, Professor Tom Ginsburg, Professor Anthony Lang, Professor Catherine McCauliff, Professor Rebecca Adami, Dr. Zehra Arat, Professor Karima Bennoune, and Dr. Olga Patricia Velásquez Ocampo, who helped make this symposium such a fantastic and unforgettable event
- Our co-sponsors, the Rutgers Law School Center for Gender Justice and Law, Rutgers Center for Transnational Law, and the Rutgers-Newark International Law Society
- Our former Editors-in-Chief who continue to provide invaluable support and guidance
Please direct any questions about the Journal to inquiries@rutgers-ilhr-journal.org. Be on the lookout for our special symposium and Fall 2023 issues, which will be published to our website in the upcoming months. We look forward to seeing you all at our next symposium!
Left to right: Emily Rathburn, former Editor-in-Chief; Ghina Gharaibeh, Managing Editor; Tia Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief; Katarina Guelpen, Symposium Editor; Tayler Gospodarek, Senior Articles Editor; and Kaleb Yost, Senior Notes Editor.
