Barranquilla, world capital of Law
Barranquilla will become the world capital of Law with the celebration of the World Law Congress Colombia 2021
The World Jurist Association (WJA) presented, together with the Ministry of Justice and Law of Colombia, and the Mayor’s office of Barranquilla, the World Law Congress Colombia 2021 to be held on 2 and 3 December at the Puerta de Oro events centre in Barranquilla. Thus, La Arenosa will become the world capital of Law during the two days of the congress, which will be attended by heads of state, such as Iván Duque and the King of Spain, presidents and judges of high courts, international courts, attorneys general and representatives of international organisations, as well as academics, lawyers, businessmen, human rights activists and law students from all continents.
The programme will focus on the promotion of the Rule of Law as an instrument for the development of nations, offering a comprehensive vision of current issues that concern humanity and on which the world of Law and justice must respond. Among the aspects to be debated are the analysis of the responses of States to the pandemic, cybersecurity and digitalisation, judicial independence and the current migratory crises, among others. The more than 35 round tables that make up the content of the congress will integrate the vision of renowned jurists, businessmen, representatives of Colombian and international institutions, communicators and students, who support the sustainable development of humanity, coexistence in democracy and freedom.
On 3 December, the World Peace & Liberty Award will be presented to Colombian civil society and democracy, the longest-lived in Latin America, for its defence, strengthening and promotion of the Rule of Law above the vicissitudes, and will be attended by the President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, King Felipe VI of Spain and the former Presidents of Colombia Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Ernesto Samper, and Andrés Pastrana, who have confirmed their attendance. In its 2020 edition, this prize, considered the Nobel Prize of Law, was awarded to the late Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and in previous editions to personalities such as Sir Winston Churchill, René Cassin, Nelson Mandela and King Felipe VI of Spain. All of them have received the award for their unquestionable commitment to the Rule of Law and the defence of democracy and freedom.
The President of the WJA, Javier Cremades (pictured bottom left), acknowledged that “we chose Colombia to host this congress because, despite the difficulties it has faced, Colombian society has always supported living in a democracy and, furthermore, the country has become the perfect setting, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Colombian constitution and the 200th anniversary of the constitution of Cúcuta.” Cremades invited jurists, academics, businessmen, and law students from Colombia and from all over the world “to attend this extraordinary event, which is coming to Colombia for the first time.”
María Eugenia Gay (pictured bottom right), president of the Spanish chapter of the WJA, stated that “the exchange of ideas, reflective analysis and the practice of constructive dialogue that preserves us from prejudice and polarisation constitute today a virtue that we must strive for; the World Law Congress being, precisely, an opportunity for understanding that brings together the most outstanding personalities from the world of Law, Politics and Diplomacy.”
Along these lines, the Minister of Justice and Law, Wilson Ruiz Orejuela (pictured top right), acknowledged that “for the National Government, this designation is a tribute and recognition of the daily and tireless efforts made by the State and Colombians, strengthening the principles of the Social State of Law and guaranteeing the freedom of citizens, order and peace within the framework of the democratic system that governs us.”
Finally, the Mayor of Barranquilla, Jaime Pumarejo Heins, has highlighted the city’s preparations for the second event of global importance for the capital of the Atlantic so far this year, after the Assembly of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) last March, becoming especially relevant because of the situation we live in.
“Barranquilla will be the global epicentre of Law, a scenario where the conversation about democracy and peace is restored through the Rule of Law, protecting those who do not use their force and power of communication to prevail. From here, important points will be debated on the preservation of freedom and how to meet the challenge of continuing to build strong democracies that are increasingly attuned to the needs of today’s world. We celebrate this vote of confidence in the city and the country, and this is what we have been preparing for over the last few years, which at the same time will generate employment, opportunities and quality of life for the people of Barranquilla within the framework of the successful process of economic reactivation that we are leading at the national level.”
You can consult the programme and register your attendance by accessing this link: https://worldlawcongress.com/
