THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR JUDICIAL TRAINING

History and Organization

1. Organizational Meeting (2002)

On March 17 - 21, 2002, following several planning meetings in South America and Israel, the International Organization for Judicial Training (IOJT) was established in Jerusalem. Over 100 educators and judges from 25 countries and the Council of Europe assembled to create the organization. Countries creating the IOJT included Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China. Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Georgia, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Togo, and the United States of America.. Dr. Shlomo Levin, then Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Israel, who conceived the organization, proposed that it have the following objectives:

1. Sharing successful methods of addressing issues of common interest regarding judicial training, and

2. Establishing an international mechanism to enable training institutes from one country to learn from another.

He suggested a number of ways to effect these objectives.

...[the] organization would ...promote cooperation between its members, by exchange of information and by establishing an international library accessible to its members via the Internet. In addition the organization will arrange for local and international conferences and assist its members with the exchange of professional materials. Moreover it will propose judicial training plans and subjects that may be commonly researched. ...[and] ... publish...a newsletter. The organization will also serve to assemble teams of experts who will assist various countries in improving their various respective judicial training systems.

The attending countries adopted the objectives proposed in the form of a Statutes or Bylaws that enunciate the IOJT’s purpose, establish officers, and create committees to carry out its programs. The following were elected IOJT officers at the Jerusalem meeting:

  • President: Dr. Shlomo Levin, Israel
  • Executive Director: Professor Amnon Carmi. Israel
  • Vice President Judge Haim Porat, Israel
  • Treasurer Hon. B. Paul Cotter, Jr., United States
  • Committees Chairman Judge J. Clifford Wallace, United States
  • Vice President: Africa: Hon. Benjamin M. Itoe, Cameroon
  • Vice President: Asia Pacific Region: Hon. Amuerfina Herrera, Philippines
  • Vice President: Europe: Hon. Nils Lie, Norway:
  • Vice President: North America: Hon. Georgina Jackson, Canada
  • Vice President: South America: Hon. Jaime Velasco Davila, Ecuador
    •

    The following committees were established:

  • Executive Committee: Chair: Justice Shlomo Levin (Israel)
  • Finance Committee: Chair: Hon. B. Paul Cotter, Jr. (United States)
  • Education Committee: Chair: Mr. S. Cao (China)
  • Library Committee: Chair: Justice Georgina Jackson (Canada)
  • Collaboration with Programs in Developing Countries Committee: Chair: Justice Benjamin M. Itoe (Cameroon)
  • Internet Committee: Chair: Justice Nils Eric Lie (Norway)
    •

    It was agreed that Canada would host the next international meeting in 2004.

    2. The Asia Pacific Judicial Educators Forum (2003)

    Following the organizational meeting in Jerusalem, Justice Herrera organized a regional conference in Manila of Asia Pacific countries. The February 11 to 14, 2003 meeting was funded by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Representatives of 12 countries attended and formed the Asia Pacific Judicial Educators Forum (AJEF) as a regional organization of the IOJT. Countries attending included Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Island Nations, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Israel and the United States attended as observers. Following a presentation by the Executive Director of the IOJT, Professor Amnon Carmi, two nations joined the IOJT on the spot, the Pacific Island Nations and Thailand, and the rest agreed to recommend joining to their national approving authorities. Australia joined the IOJT subsequently. Thailand volunteered to host the next AJEF meeting in Bangkok in 2005.

    3. The IOJT Canada Conference (2004)

    Justice Georgina Jackson, the Vice President for North America, has arranged to have the National Judicial Institute of Canada host the next international conference in Ottawa, Canada in 2004 (Click here to register). The meeting will have three parts: (1) The Plenary Conference with lectures and workshops on matters of interest; (2) a Business Meeting for the IOJT to consider and approve ongoing organizational matters (3) a one and a half day post-conference Special Symposium on Teaching Social Context to Judges. The conference will open with a Panel featuring Chief Justices from four continents. See http://www.nji.ca/internationalforum/ .

    Conclusion

    Thanks to the generosity of the Supreme Courts of Israel, the Philippines, and Canada, the IOJT has been successfully launched. However, the IOJT needs funds for a permanent secretariat, an operating budget, and travel for conference attendees and to pursue IOJT goals including establishment of a major Internet resource and full participation by developing countries.